SENATE. 


&-’7,  /, 

Un  32  A 

47tii  Congress, 
1,sY  Session. 


< 


i  Ex.  Doc. 
\  No.  120. 


^  LETTER 

cr- 

<\  FROM 

THE  SECRETARY  OE  WAR, 

TRANSMITTING 

A  report  of  S.  T.  Abort,  United  States  civil  engineer ,  upon  a  survey  of 
the  Potomae  River  in  the  vicinity  of  Washington ,  with  reference  to  the 
improvement  of  navigation ,  the  establishment  of  harbor  lines ,  and  the 
raising  of  the  flats  ;  also  the  preliminary  report  of  a,  Board  of  Engineer 
officers  on  the\sanxe  subject. 


March  9. 1882. — Referred  to  tlie  Select  Committee  on  the  Potomac  Flats  and  ordered 

to  bo  printed. 


: 

i 

i 


War  Department, 
Washington  City ,  March  8,  1882. 

The  Secretary 'of  War  lias  the  honor  to  transmit  to  the  United  States 
Senate,  for  the  information  of  the  Committee  on  Commerce,  a  commu¬ 
nication  from  the  Chief  of  Engineers  of  yesterday’s  date,  covering  a 
copy  of  the  report  of  Mr.  S.  T.  Abert,  United  States  civil  engineer, 
upon  a  survey  made  in  compliance  with  requirements  in  the  river  and 
harbor  act  of  March  3,  1881,  of  the  Potomac  Eiver  in  the  vicinity  of 
Washington,  with  reference  to  the  improvement  of  navigation,  the 
establishment  of  harbor  lines,  and  the  raising  of  the  flats  ;  also  a  copy 
of  the  preliminary  report  of  a  Board  of  Engineer  officers  on  the  same 
subject. 

EOBEET  T.  LINCOLN, 

Secretary  of  War. 

The  President  pro  tempore 

of  the  United States  Senate. 


Office  of  tiie  Chief  of  Engineers, 

United  States  Army, 
Washington ,  JD.  C.,  March  7,  1882. 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  a  copy  of  a  report  to  this 
office  from  Mr.  S.  T.  Abert,  United  States  civil  engineer,  of  the  results 
of  a  survey  made  under  lus  direction,  to  comply  with  requirements  of 
the  river  and  harbor  act  of  March  3,  1881,  of  tlie  Potomac  Eiver  in  the 
vicinity  of  Washington,  with  reference  to  the  improvement  of  naviga¬ 
tion,  the  establishment  of  harbor  lines,  and  the  raising  of  tlie  flats. 

By  your  authority,  in  view  of  tlie  interest  felt  in  this  improvement, 


2 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


this  report  of  Mr.  Abort  was  referred  to  a  Board  of  Engineer  officers, 
witli  instructions  to  give  the  whole-  subject  careful  consideration.  A 
copy  of  the  Board’s  prelimi nary  report  thereon,  with  accompanying  pa¬ 
pers,  is  also  submitted  herewith  and  commended  for  favorable  consid¬ 
eration. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

II.  G.  WEIGHT, 

Chief  of  Engineers ,  Brig,  and  Bvt.  Maj.  Gen. 

Hon.  Kobert  T.  Lincoln, 

Secretary  of  War. 


SURVEY  OF  POTOMAC  RIVER  BETWEEN  THE  ACQUEDUCT  BRIDGE  AND 

GEISBOROUGII  POINT. 


United  States  Engineer  Office, 

Washington ,  I).  0.,  January  17,  1882. 

General:  The  act  of  appropriation  for  rivers  and  harbors  approved 
March  3,  1881,  contains  a  provision  for  a  survey  of  the  u  Potomac  and 
Anacostia  rivers  in  the  vicinity  of  Washington,  I).  0.,  with  reference 
to  the  improvement  of  navigation,  the  establishment  of  the  harbor  line, 
and  the  raising  of  the  flats  so  far  as  their  improvement  may  be  neces¬ 
sary  to  the  improvement  of  navigation  and  the  establishment  of  the 
harbor  line.” 

This  duty  was  assigned  to  me  by  your  letter  of  March  21,  1881. 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  a  brief  summary  of  the  results 
obtained  by  this  survey  between  the  Aqueduct  Bridge  and  Geisborough 
Point,  together  with  a  plan  and  estimate  for  the  improvement  of  the 
navigation  and  the  raising  of  the  flats  and  for  establishing  the  harbor 
lines  of  Washington  City.  These  results  and  the  estimates  for  the  im¬ 
provement  of  Washington  Harbor  are  transmitted  at  the  present  time, 
in  order  that  they  may  be  laid  before  Congress  in  time  for  early  consid¬ 
eration. 

The  remainder  of  the  report,  relating  to  the  Anacostia  River  and  to 
that  part  of  the  Potomac  River  between  the  outlet  lock  and  inclined 
plane  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Canal  (together  with  additional  data 
in  regard  to  the  harbors  of  Washington  and  Georgetown),  will  be  trans¬ 
mitted  as  soon  as  it  is  completed. 

The  survey  was  commenced  at  the  inclined  plane  of  the  Chesapeake 
and  Ohio  Canal  above  Georgetown,  on  the  Potomac  River,  and  at  the 
AnacostiaBridge,  on  the  Anacostia  River,  and  terminated  at  Giesborough 
Point,  where  the  two  rivers  unite.  The  shore  lines,  bridges,  wharves, 
&e.,  were  located,  and  37  cross-sections  taken.  On  these  cross-sections 
soundings  were  taken  every  50  feet,  the  distance  being  measured  by 
means  of  a  small  wire  rope.  Velocity  observations  for  ebb  and  flood 
tide  were  taken  at  each  cross-section.  Tidal  observations  were  taken 
during  the  progress  of  the  survey  at  the  outlet  lock,  Aqueduct  Bridge, 
G-street  Wharf,  the  Long  Bridge,  Arsenal  Point,  and  at  the  navy-yard. 
The  following  tabular  statement  shows  the  locations  at  which  the  cross- 
sections  were  taken,  the  widths  at  low-water,  the  maximum  depth  at 
low- water,  and  the  sectional  areas  at  low  tide,  high  tide,  and  during  the 
freshets  of  1881  and  1877.  In  explanation  of  this  table  it  should  be 
stated  that  below  Easby’s  Point  the  width  of  the  river  increases  from 
974  feet  to  about  5,000  feet,  losing  its  distinctive  fluvial  character,  and 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


3 


expanding'  into  the  wide  tidal  area  known  as  the  harbors  of  Washington 
and  Georgetown. 

The  sectional  areas  of  high  tide  and  of  freshet  below  Easby’s  Point 
do  not,  therefore,  represent  the  area  of  discharge  which  must  be  pro¬ 
vided  for  in  the  improvement,  as  here  the  freshet  water  simply  flowed 
over  this  wide  extent  of  flats  and  marshes  at  a  greatly  reduced  velocity. 
The  altitude  of  the  freshet  of  February,  1881,  was  maintained  as  indi¬ 
cated  in  the  table  by  the  ice-gorgesat  and  below  the  Long  Bridge.  The 
cross  section  of  the  Washington  and  the  Georgetown  channels,  into 
which  the  river  divides,  and  of  the  flats  between  them,  are  separately 
indicated  in  the  table. 


Tabular  statement  of  cross-sections  of  Potomac  Hirer  between  Aqueduct  bridge  and  the  Arsenal  who r 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


•ojgoid  .10  uorpas  jo  ’0^ 


OCHS'* 

^  nr-.  «  r-  ;i  ?i  ?i  71  :i  r;  "  r:  "  r.  t  -r  -r  t 

iiiiiiiiiijiiiriiii 

c.  ■—  co  i”;  i-  c.  -  "  1".  1  -  ~  .0  i~  c.  —  co 

,-rH  r- ^  r.  ?:  r;  ■t-r -r 


.  .  'LIST  jo  ooR 

^  pi[S9.IJ  UOJB  {BUOipOg 


•1881  JO  ouq 

pqSOJJ  BO.IB  [L'UUipag 


Under  bridge. 

<0  0 

r<  r^ 

tr 

H*  r' 

C  O 
HfH 

.  ^  I 

...  co  • 

•  .  H  • 

.  •  O  >  * 

•  l- 

S  <M  * 

-  . 

•10  • 

.  .  •  (M  • 

•  •  »f5  • 

•  •  cc  •  • 

.  .  co 

g,co  ■ 

•  .  .  rt  • 

.  .  . 

•  .  T  •  • 

.  .  0 

Ci  < M  C  71t'  S  «  T).  x  71  I'  S  -t  -t  75  N-*  X  X 
^  N  ®  1.7  71  —  H  H  ji;  X  p  ^7  -T  Cl  7I  ?  1)  £  5  x 


tc 


— 1  77  "  w  O  10 

%*»V  -  » 

’co  uOKcC't^nfflt-QOOor 


it’1. 


o.  c  ci  -  *  c  a  x 


£ 


•OPU 

-qihq  p  U3.i«  xeuotpog 


•  -I  o  m  c  h  o  «  ms  o  c:  i' t  ®  ci  c;  o  t  o 
— (ifflf-oowMKin-Hawq; 
S  >0  m  I'  10  00  C>  CC  (M  »  t-  t  X  Cl  ^  t'  10  tMO 

.of  rjT  — r  of  — "  of  T— '  of  i-T  U3  ccf  o'  co"  of  i-T  cf  H"  CO  CO* 

CoO)  O)O1OIO1O)OIO4C0C0C0'^tC'O'O^J''O‘O*0i 

<>2 


•puox 


■  I-  - - f,OCHHlftC5^?Oh>C^CiWOC5'M 

o\  »~r  «o  ec  i”—i  x  i.t  h*  w  *~r  x  Ci  re  c«  1  —  re  x 

^  C  l>  ®  ^  «  O  ?:  h  (M  05  M  O  ‘.o  O  C  ^1  X  «  o 


:  o  x  c  c  c.  p 

i  ^1  ri  (M  m  rl  r 


ClCiO^W’t^CL^XCP- 
H  1-1  M  (M  Cl  M  M  CM  Cl  CM  re  'M 


c3 

if 

& 

c 


cS 

*-l 

o 

•H 

-H 

o 

c/: 


•exuix 


<£> 


•  O  1  CC  1C  10  o 
(M  •  O  C  rf  X 
•00  •  CC  CO  —  o 


1  CO  T*  rt'  CC 


•{9  a 

-insqo  uoiguiqsa^Y 


«<r 


cm  o  m  ce  o  <m 

■OiH'iC'—  r-CCOlH 

h  -  c  c:  c  r:  o 

erf  tjT  rfT  irf  ccf  iff  iff  iff 


•{oa 

-UBqO  UAV0X8.oJ.03f) 


^^^’^COCHHLOCJIOCCLOOHOCOWC'IO 

^HiOOHCinTtOi-r-OCOMflWH^CiN 

<i)O^Ci'«OCOrtWO?3MCOCt'Q^WW 


'O  O  00  O  Ci 
^r-.  M  tH  M  r— 


Cil^ClCSOWOO^OWCOOO 

nHnr-i 1  M  M  M  (M  M  M  ri  rH  C4  rH 


__T _ t— I  '8® 

liSIJO  J3qs3.iJ  JO  xq^PH 


M9'{HAA-AV0{  OAOqU 


I  o 

'  c6 


■  CM 
>  O 


■  Ht< 

-  CO 


•JO^Ai-AVOI  9A0qi? 

I  1881  J°  )9TLsoaJ  JO  lTl^J9H 


M9JBAV 

-aio{  q^dop  ununixuj^r 


.^^t^Nrtr-COHnlNMHCCW^XH 
•*-  O  O  C  O  t-  W  O  X  CC  iC  .*C  !N  (M  Tf  1C  Tf  O 

. 

r'0'*COCO«CO«KCOMClNCI!N(N'-0*t'l> 

ri^  rH  rH  i-H  rH  rH  i-H  rH  rH  rH  rH  i— i  rH  m  rH  rH  rH 


M0)tf  AV-AAOI  w  qjpjAV 


■wO^OCOCOOH^OOlOWNOOOXHW 
••••••«•  ••••«•••*• 

1C  O  X  M  C.  »C  r  ^  O  X  C  h  C:  w  C  iC  - 
NHM<MC*CCOCOCMOCCO<MH*HrH(MCM(M<MM(MM 


.OOOt^OiOnfOOOOOOOOOOMH^ 

■woxwocT}ihiooaico^oi>^^  o 
^  O  o  Ci  (X)  05  a  W  C  N  M  in  H  x  H  n  N  00 


rH  n  <M  ?0  W  ^  CO  lf^  ifC  l> 


cz 

SJ 

O 


s« 


•  ^ 
•  S 


is  : 


:  :  £■£  :  :  :  :  :  : 

•  •  ®  o  ■  •  •  ■  •  • 

:  i  cs  ^  •  •  •  •  •  ■ 

■  ■  >  > . 

•  ‘  f-<  u.  '  !  !  • 

1  •  eft  C  •  •  •  •  •  • 


•  III!  ^  ~~  1  ♦  » 

. ©OOO 

a  •  C  o  m  -t  -<■  -t 


o 

a 


Id 

* 


a  V 01  oi  iri'iPOM 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


5 


VELOCITY  OBSERVATIONS. 


The  general  method  of  taking  the  velocity  observations  was  as  fol¬ 
lows  : 

All  depths  and  velocities  observed  were  those  at  times  of  maximum 
velocity. 

The  vertical  sections  at  right  angles  to  the  axis  of  the  stream  were 
divided  into  parallelograms  whose  horizontal  width  was  100  feet,  and 
whose  height  was  the  mean  depth  over  each  100  feet  at  the  line  of 
maximum  velocity. 

The  sum  of  the  areas  of  these  parallelograms  was  the  area  of  the  sec¬ 
tion  of  the  river  at  that  point.  Then  the  joint  mid-area  was  computed 
through  which  a  vertical  plane  parallel  to  the  axis  of  the  stream  di¬ 
vided  the  area  of  the  whole  section  into  two  equal  parts.  The  points 
were  plotted  by  means  of  the  horizontal  distances  from  the  common 
origin  of  areas  and  velocities  (viz,  a  point  on  the  land  or  wharf  near 
the  shore  line).  The  point  of  mid-area  was  computed  for  each  section 
and  the  line  of  mid-areas  drawn  through  them.  The  volumes  passing 
through  the  area  of  each  of  the  parallelograms  at  the  time  of  maximum 
velocity  was  computed,  and  their  sum  is  the  total  volume  passing  the 
section. 

The  point  of  mid-volume  was  computed  through  which  a  vertical 
plane  parallel  with  the  axis  of  the  stream  divides  the  volume  into  two 
equal  parts.  This  point  was  plotted  by  means  of  its  horizontal  distance 
from  the  origin.  The  point  of  mid-volume  was  computed  for  each  sec¬ 
tion,  and  the  line  of  mid-volume  is  drawn  through  them. 

Separate  computation  was  made  for  flood  and  ebb. 

The  plots  of  flood  and  ebb  current  show  some  interesting  results  as 
to  the  effect  of  the  tidal  current  upon  the  fluvial  discharge  of  the 
river.  From  the  Little  Falls  to  a  point  near  the  Potomac  Boat  Club¬ 
house  in  Georgetown  there  are  down-stream  currents,  and  a  fluvial  dis¬ 
charge  during  the  entire  period  of  flood  tide,  so  that  the  only  effect  of 
the  flood-tidal  current  above  Georgetown  is  to  raise  the  surface  of  the 
water  without  causing  any  flood  discharge.  Plots  of  the  flood  and  ebb 
currents  accompany  this  report. 

In  the  arrangement  of  the  bulkhead  lines  or  lines  of  filling,  shown 
on  this  map,  it  has  not  been  practicable,  on  account  of  economical 
considerations,  to  make  them  exactly  concentric  with  the  lines  of  mid¬ 
volume.  The  curvatuie  of  these  lines  will,  however,  be  made  more 
conformable  by  the  alteration  in  the  position  of  t  he  cross-section  of  the 
present  channel. 

In  making  the  calculations  for  the  improvement  of  the  river  it  was 
necessary  to  determine  the  low- water  sectional  area  which  should  be 
adopted  as  a  standard.  The  average  sectional  area  of  the  river  between 
the  Aqueduct  Bridge  and  Easby7s  Point  was  found  to  be  19,31(1  square 
feet,  and  for  the  Georgetown  Channel  between  Easby’s  and  the  Long 
Bridge,  20,(379  square  feet.  The  sectional  area  at  the  Long  Bridge  was 
believed  to  present  the  conditions  necessary  for  determining  the  area 
which  should  be  assumed  as  the  standard  in  the  calculations  for  the  im¬ 
provement.  In  these  calculations  the  heights  of  freshet  assumed  are 
those  of  the  freshet  of  1877,  which  was  actually  a  higher  freshet  than 
that  of  1881,  the  greater  elevation  ot  the  latter  above  the  Long  Bridge 
being  due  to  the  ice  gorges  at  that  point  as  already  stated. 

The  cross-section  taken  parallel  with  and  80  feet  above  the  Long  Bridge 
showed  the  sectional  area  of  the  Georgetown  Channel  to  be  21,051  square 
feet  (between  the  lines  of  the  abutments);  that  of  the  Washington 


6 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


Channel  to  be  4,002  square  feet;  and  of  the  flats  between,  1,826  square 
feet.  The  sectional  area  of  the  Washington  and  Georgetown  channels 
together  at  this  point  is  25,718  square  feet.  From  this  point  to  the  Ar¬ 
senal  wharf  the  average  section  of  the  two  channels  together  is  about 
24,800  square  feet,  not  including  the  flats  between  them. 

As  the  Georgetown  Channel  will,  upon  the  completion  of  the  improve¬ 
ment,  be  called  upon  to  discharge  the  entire  body  of  the  freshet  water, 
its  low-water  section  should  be  equal  to  the  combined  section  of  the 
two  channels,  and  in  view  of  all  the  facts  ascertained  by  the  survey  the 
standard  low-water  section  has  been  assumed  at  25,000  square  feet. 

The  sectional  area  of  the  freshet  of  1877  has  been  assumed  as  the  stand¬ 
ard  in  providing  for  the  freshet  discharge.  A  sectional  area  of  48,000 
square  feet,  with  a  rise  of  10  feet,  has  been  provided  for  at  the  Long 
Bridge.  In  order  to  discharge  this  through  the  Georgetown  Channel  it 
will  be  necessary  to  remove  the  causeway,  which  forms  a  part  of  the 
abutment  of  the  southern  end  of  the  bridge  for  a  distance  of  about  400 
feet,  replacing  it  by  trestle-work  (or  spans  of  bridge  similar  to  those  now 
in  use),  the  causeway  to  be  removed  to  a  depth  of  3  feet  at  low-water, 
so  as  to  allow  the  tide  to  flow  underneath  it.  The  sectional  areas  above 
and  below  the  bridge  will  be  sufficient  for  the  discharge  of  the  water  of 
freshets. 

Square  feet. 

1.  Tlic  low-tide  sectional  area  assumed  as  a  standard,  is .  25,000 

2.  The  liigh-tide  sectional  area  assumed  as  a  standard,  is .  32,875 

3.  The  freshet  area  assumed  as  a  standard,  is .  48,  0C0 

The  limits  of  the  flats  to  be  reclaimed,  as  contemplated  in  the  act,  by 
means  of  the  dredged  material,  the  port  warden  lines  for  the  Washing¬ 
ton  Channel  or  inner  harbor,  as  well  as  the  outer  port  warden  line  be¬ 
yond  which  neither  wharves  nor  landing  slips  will  extend,  are  indicated 
on  the  accompanying  tracing.  The  harbor  lines  are  not  indicated  pre¬ 
cisely  on  the  map,  but  will  be  fully  laid  down  on  later  maps  which  em- 
body  the  fuller  results  of  the  survey. 

On  the  Georgetown  Channel  the  harbor  line  commences  at  Easby’s 
wharf,  following  a  curved  line  as  shown  on  the  plan  to  the  southerly 
end  of  the  causeway  of  the  Long  Bridge,  thence  on  a  curve  nearly  par¬ 
allel  with  the  river  channel  to  a  point  on  the  flats  below  the  Arsenal 
wharf  at  the  intersection  of  the  two  channels. 

For  the  Washington  Channel  the  inner  line  follows  nearly  the  limits 
of  existing  wharves,  and  the  outer  line  of  the  Washington  Harbor  is 
800  feet  from  the  inner  line.  The  inner  line,  beyond  which  it  is  recom¬ 
mended  that  no  wharves  be  allowed  to  extend,  is  as  follows: 

Commencing  at  a  point  25  feet  outside  the  northwest  corner  of  Biggs’s 
wharf,  running  thence  in  a  straight  line  to  a  point  15  feet  outside  the 
southwest  corner  of  the  lower  wharf  of  the  Great  Falls  Ice  Company, 
thence  in  a  straight  line  to  a  point  25  feet  outside  the  southwest  corner 
of  Evans’s  stone  wharf;  thence  in  a  straight  line  to  a  point  25  feet  out¬ 
side  the  northwest  corner  of  the  third  wharf  below  the  Alexandria  Ferry 
Company’s  slip;  thence  in  a  straight  line  to  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
wharf  of  the  Inland  and  Seaboard  Company,  and  continuing  to  a  point 
141)  feet  above  the  flrst  angle  in  the  Arsenal  wall  and  220  feet  west  of 
said  wall;  thence  to  a  point  130  feet  outside  the  Arsenal  wall  at  the  site 
of  the  old  penitentiary  wharf;  thence  to  a  point  10  feet  west  of  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  existing  Arsenal  wharf. 

The  Washington  Channel  above  the  Long  Bridge  is  left  open  as  far 
as  Seventeenth  street. 

The  greatest  depth  of  the  sectional  area  of  discharge  is  assumed  as 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


7 


equal  to  the  greatest  depth  of  the  proposed  channel,  the  assumption 
being  based  on  the  observations  of  velocities  of  ebb  and  flood  tide. 

The  part  of  the  channel  south  of  the  reclaimed  area  being  partly  an 
estuary  of  Chesapeake  Bay,  may  have  a  low- water  sectional  area  greater 
than  the  low-water  section  of  the  river  at  that  point,  without  any  altera¬ 
tion  of  the  present  low-water  surface  of  the  river. 

The  tidal  area  excluded  by  the  improvement  will  be  about  095  acres. 
While  the  exclusion  of  tidal  water  in  harbor  improvements  is  not  to  be 
desired,  in  the  present  instance  it  cannot  be  avoided. 

The  increased  depth  of  channel  will,  however,  facilitate  the  propa¬ 
gation  of  the  tidal  wave,  and  will  in  some  degree  compensate  for  the 
exclusion  of  tidal  water. 


IMPROVEMENT. 

The  general  plan  of  improvement  consists  in  dredging  the  George¬ 
town  Channel  to  a  maximum  depth  of  25  feet,  with  a  bottom  width  of 
dredged  channel  not  less  than  400  feet,  so  as  to  give  a  low-water  area  of 
25,000  square  feet;  dredging  the  Washington  Channel  between  the 
Long  Bridge  and  the  Arsenal  wharf  to  a  width  of  400  feet  at  the  bot¬ 
tom  and  a  depth  of  20  feet  at  low- water,  and  thence  to  the  outer  wall, 
where  the  depth  will  be  5  feet,  the  dredged  material  to  be  placed  upon 
the  flats,  so  as  to  raise  them  to  a  height  of  6  feet  above  low-water ;  this 
area  to  be  protected  from  freshets  by  means  of  an  embankment  around 
the  edge  of  the  reclaimed  area,  with  a  provision  for  drainage. 

It  may  further  be  desirable  to  dredge  out  a  basin  above  the  Long 
Bridge  and  alongside  of  the  present  sewer  canal  to  scour  out  this  canal 
at  low-water. 

As  the  detail  of  this  general  plan  of  improvement  may  be  varied  some¬ 
what,  I  have  prepared  the  following  estimates : 

ESTIMATE  NO.  L 

The  dredged  material  to  be  deposited  on  the  flats  so  as  to  raise  them 
to  a  height  of  G  feet  above  low- water,  both  above  and  below  the  Long 
Bridge.  An  embankment  around  the  edge  of  the  reclaimed  area  50 
feet  wide  on  top,  with  outer  slope  of  14  to  1,  and  inner  slope  3  feet  in 
100  feet.  Height  12  feet  above  low- water  above  bridge  and  10  feet  be¬ 
low  bridge.  The  edge  of  the  filling  protected  by  a  wall  of  dry  rubble 
masonry. 

8,940,210  cubic  yards  material  dredged  and  deposited  on  flats,  at  18  cents.  $1,609,238 


366,020  cubic  yards  embankment,  at  20  cents .  73,204 

500,000  cubic  yards  inner  slope  embankment,  at  18  cents .  90,000 

Dry  masonry  wall .  292,  540 

Contingencies,  10  per  cent .  206,498 


Total . . .  2.271,480 


ESTIMATE  NO.  2. 

Height  of  filling  G  feet  as  above.  Embankment  along  Virginia  avenue 
from  Eighteenth  street  to  the  high  ground  on  the  Monument  Lot,  to 
protect  the  city  against  floods,  slope  protection  of  riprap  and  piles. 


8,940,210  cubic  yards  dredging,  at  18  cents .  $1,609,238 

Embankment  on  Virginia  avenue .  10,  740 

Slope  protection . .  99, 552 

Contingencies .  171,953 


Total .  1,891,483 


8 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


If  the  height  of  filling  is  made  5  feet,  with  embankments  and  slope 
protection,  riprap,  and  piles,  the  cost  would  be  $1,700,216. 

Ponds  for  sluicing  the  sewer  canal  can  be  constructed  without  addi¬ 
tional  expense,  except  for  gates  for  receiving  the  water  at  flood-tide 
and  discharging  it  at  ebb  tide. 

The  area  of  57  acres  of  the  Washington  Channel,  between  the  Long 
Bridge  and  Seventeenth  street, could  be  used  for  sluicing  out  the  Wash¬ 
ington  Channel  if  the  canal  is  not  built.  The  dredging  of  this  area  to 
a  depth  of  10  feet  is  provided  for  in  the  estimate. 


CANAL. 


The  estimate  for  a  canal  on  the  line  indicated  on  the  map  connecting 
the  Washington  Channel  with  the  Georgetown  Channel  is  not  included 
in  the  general  estimate  of  the  improvement. 

As,  however,  some  information  may  be  desired  as  to  the  cost  of  the 
canal,  I  have  prepared  the  following  estimate  for  a  canal  200  feet  wide 
and  20  feet  deep,  as  follows: 


Dredging  1,234,370  cubic  yards  at  18  cents .  8*222,  ls6 

Sidewalls .  186,000 

Gates  and  gate  chambers .  73,000 

Contingencies .  48,119 


Total . . .  529, 305 


This  canal  can  be  constructed  without  interfering  with  the  harbor 
lines  proposed.  Its  construction  would  result  in  a  saving  of  distance 
between  the  wharves  of  Washington  and  Georgetown  of  about  3  miles. 

The  disadvantage  would  be  the  increased  cost  of  the  work,  and  the 
fact  that  the  sewerage  from  the  sewer  canal  would  be  brought  into  the 
Washington  Channel  at  a  time  when  its  presence  would  be  very  unde¬ 
sirable. 

In  the  above  estimate  the  amount  of  the  dredging  proposed  equals 
that  of  tlie  embankment;  but  if  any  additional  material  is  required  for 
filling,  it  can  be  taken  from  the  vicinity  of  the  Naval  Observatory. 


RECAPITULATION  OF  ESTIMATES. 


The  first  estimate  submitted  for  a  filling  6  feet  in  height,  with  a  dry 
rubble  masonry  wall  and  embankments,  is  the  estimate  recommended 
for  the  improvement,  and  amounts  to  $2,271,480. 

The  second  estimate  is  a  modification  of  the  first  by  omitting  the  em¬ 
bankments  and  using  a  slope  protection  of  riprap,  and  amounts  to 
$1,891,483.  While,  if  the  filling  is  made  5  feet  high,  with  the  riprap 
slopes,  the  cost  will  be  $1,760,216. 

I,  however,  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  first  plan. 

The  price  of  dredging  is  taken  at  18  cents  per  cubic  yard  on  the  as¬ 
sumption  that  at  least  $600,000  per  year  will  be  available  for  the  work. 
If  smaller  appropriations  are  made,  the  cost  per  cubic  yard,  and  there¬ 
fore  the  total  cost,  must  be  increased  accordingly. 

METHOD  OF  EXECUTING  THE  WORK. 

It  is  recommended  that  the  work  be  done  by  contract  in  the  usual 
manner,  and  that  the  work  below  the  Long  Bridge  be  executed  first,  so 
as  to  prevent  the  formation  of  ice-gorges  and  the  consequent  injury  to 
property. 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


9 


I  respectfully  recommend  that  an  appropriation  of  $2,271,000  be  made 
for  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the  improvement,  at  least  $700,000  to 
be  available  annually. 

The  following  maps  and  plans  accompany  this  report : 

1  general  map,  scale  to<joo>  showing  proposed  plan  of  improvement,  liarhor  lines, 
channel,  and  area  to  be  reclaimed. 

1  map,  on  a  scale  of  400  feet  to  an  inch,  showing  cross-section  and  line  of  mid-area 
and  mid-volume. 

9  cross  sections  of  the  river. 

1  sheet  of  velocity  observations  of  tidal  current. 

2  plans  showing  proposed  wall  and  slope  protection  of  riprap,  &c. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

S.  T.  ABERT, 

U.  8.  Civil  Engineer. 

The  Chief  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A. 


PRELIMINARY  REPORT  OF  BOARD  OF  ENGINEERS. 

New  York,  February  18, 1882. 

General:  The  Board  of  officers  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers,  convened 
by  Special  Orders  No.  129,  Headquarters  Corps  of  Engineers,  December 
1,  1881,  which  was  subsequently  directed  by  Special  Orders  No.  11, 
January  2G,  1882,  from  the  same  headquarters,  u  to  consider  and  report 
upon  the  plans  and  estimates  for  the  improvement  of  navigation  of  the 
Potomac  River,  in  the  vicinity  of  Washington,  D.  C.,  the  raising  of  the 
flats  in  front  of  the  city,  and  the  establishment  of  the  harbor  lines,1 )y 
have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  preliminary  report : 

The  Board  received  for  its  guidance  the  following  letter  of  instruction: 

Office  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers, 

United  States  Army, 
Washington ,  D.  C.,  February  9,  1882. 

Sir:  The  inclosed  report  and  accompanying  maps  of  Mr.  S.  T.  Abert,  United  States 
civil  engineer,  upon  the  survey  directed  by  section  .‘3  of  the  river  and  harbor  act  of 
March  3,  1881,  to  be  made  of  “  Potomac  and  Anacostia  rivers,  in  the  vicinity  of  Wash¬ 
ington,  D.  C.,  with  reference  to  the  improvement  of  navigation,  the  establishment  of 
the  harbor  line,  and  the  raising  of  the  hats,  so  far  as  their  improvement  may  be  nec¬ 
essary  to  tlm  improvement  of  navigation,  and  the  establishment  of  the  harbor-line, ,r 
are  transmitted  for  the  information  of  the  Board  of  Engineers,  directed  by  Special  Or¬ 
ders  No.  11,  Headquarters  Corps  of  Engineers,  current  series,  to  assemble  in  this  city, 
&.C.,  of  which  you  are  the  presiding  officer.  The  Board  will  give  the  subject  careful 
consideratiou,  and  if  any  additional  information  is  required  to  a  proper  understand¬ 
ing  of  the  questions  involved,  Mr.  Abert  will,  upon  its  request,  be  directed  to  furnish 
the  same,  either  by  appearing  before  the  Board  in  person  or  otherwise. 

In  view  of  the  deep  interest  felt  in  regard  to  the  improvement  of  the  Potomac  River 
by  the  Commissioners  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  as  well  as  by  the  business  com- 
m unity  and  the  citizens  generally,  it  would  seem  to  be  advisable  that  the  Board  re¬ 
quest  the  attendance  of  Maj.  W.  J.  Twining,  Corps  of  Engineers,  the  Engineer  Com¬ 
missioner,  with  a  view  to  obtaining  such  information  upon  the  subject  as  he  may 
desire  or  be  willing  to  impart. 

*#*#*## 

By  command  of  Brigadier- General  Wright : 

Very  respectfully,  vour  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  G.  PARKE, 

Lieut.  Col.  of  Engineers ,  Bvt.  Maj.  Gen.,  U.  S.  A. 

Lieut.  Col.  Q.  A.  Gillmore, 

Corps  of  Engineers. 

The  Board  had  before  it  for  consideration  the  following  plans: 

I.  Those  considered  by  the  Board  of  Survey  constituted  by  act  of 
Congress  approved  March  5,  1872,  designated  plans  A,  B,  and  C  in  the 


10 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


report  of  that  Board  printed  as  Senate  Miscellaneous  Document  No.  15, 
of  the  Forty-second  Congress,  third  session,  and  there  described  as 
follows : 

A.  To  carry  the  main  channel  from  the  lower  end  of  Analostan  Island  and  across 
the  flats  above  Long  Bridge  and  below  Easby’s  Point  into  the  small  channel  running 
along  the  Washington  front,  at  or  near  the  intersection  of  the  extensions  of  Seven¬ 
teenth  and  C  and  D  streets  southwest,  and  thence  continue  along  the  present  front  of 
the  city  until  it  joins  the  deep  channel  of  the  river  just  below  the  arsenal. 

B.  To  have  two  channels,  forming  the  flats  above  and  below  Long  Bridge  into  an 
island.  The  main  deep  channel  to  remain  along  the  right  bank  of  the  river  down  to 
Gravelly  Point  (just  below  Long  Bridge),  and  theneeto  the  deep  channel  ofFGiesborough 
Point.  The  second  and  smaller  channel  to  run  from  a  point  just  below  Easby’s  Point 
across  the  flats,  with  its  upper  edge  just  touching  the  end  of  the  wharf  at  Seventeenth 
street  west,  and  thence  along  the  present  Washington  front  until  all  the  channels 
join  the  deep  channel  off  Giesborough  Point. 

C.  To  have  but  one  channel,  of  sufficient  width  and  depth  for  all  purposes  ;  a  direct 
continuation  of  the  river  at  Georgetown,  to  run  along  the  right  bank  of  the  river  as 
far  down  as  Gravelly  Point  and  thence  directly  toward  Giesborough  Point  on  the  left 
bank,  joining  the  deep  channel  of  the  river  at  that  point,  following  neaily  the  pres¬ 
ent  main  channel  of  the  river. 

The  latter  plan  was  recommended  by  the  Board  of  Survey.  Its  cost 
was  estimated  at  about  $4,000,000. 

In  this  plan  (C)  the  edge  of  the  channel  on  the  Washington  side  was 
to  be  defined  and  limited  by  a  line  of  bulkhead  and  piers  constructed  of 
wood  artificially  preserved,  the  bulkhead  being  a  crib-work  filled  with 
stone,  with  its  base  23  feet  below  low-water,  resting  on  a  foundation  of 
piles  and  carried  up  to  G  feet  above  higli-tide,  which  height  was  the 
general  level  of  the  front  line  of  the  reclaimed  area.  This  plan  involved 
the  cutting  of  a  large  portion  off  Analostan  Island,  about  700  feet  at  the 
widest  part,  of  about  450  feet  width  off  Easby’s  Point,  and  of  some 
1,300  feet  width  off  Gravelly  Point.  The  Washington  Channel  was  en¬ 
tirely  obliterated,  though  a  basin  of  about  3,300  feet  in  length  and  500 
feet  in  width  was  provided  along  the  arsenal  front,  the  navy- yard  being 
proposed  to  be  changed  in  location  to  that  point.  The  channel  and  har¬ 
bor  were  proposed  to  be  23  feet  depth  at  low-tide  for  a  distance  of  1,000 
feet  outside  the  pier-heads,  19  feet  depth  for  a  further  distance  of  750 
feet,  and  15  feet  depth  beyond  this.  The  total  width  of  the  channel  in¬ 
creased  from  1,000  feet  below  the  Aqueduct  Bridge  to  2,700  feet  at  the 
crossing  of  the  Long  Bridge,  inclusive  of  the  piers.  The  location  of  the 
Long  Bridge  was  proposed  to  be  changed  to  this  extent,  that  in  cross¬ 
ing  the  channel  it  should  be  at  right  angles  thereto. 

II.  Plans  proposed  by  Mr.  S.  T.  Abert,  United  States  civil  engineer, 
which  in  general  outline  maybe  thus  described:  From  a  short  distance 
below  Easby’s  Point  the  main  or  Georgetown  Channel  to  be  deepened  by 
dredging  down  to  the  deep  water  off  Giesborough  Point,  the  material  so 
removed  to  be  deposited  on  the  flats  above  and  below  the  Long  Bridge, 
cutting  off  all  communication  of  water  between  the  upper  end  of  the 
Washington  Channel  and  the  Georgetown  Channel  above  the  Long 
Bridge.  This  deeper  channel  is  to  include  the  lines  of  mid-area  and 
mid  volume,  as  shown  on  Mr.  Abert’s  map  and  described  at  length  in 
his  report,  but  less  curved  in  direction.  The  Washington  Channel  be¬ 
low  the  Long  Bridge  is  to  be  retained  and  to  be  widened,  and  also  deep¬ 
ened  to  20  feet  at  low- water,  the  material  removed  therefrom  to  be  de¬ 
posited  upon  the  flats.  A  basin  about  334  acres  is  provided  above  the 
Long  Bridge,  with  a  depth  of  10  feet,  for  a  wood  harbor,  &c.,  and  for 
the  smaller  class  of  vessels. 

Tbe  main  channel  in  its  dimensions  of  width  and  depth  is  so  planned 
that  the  material  necessary  for  the  filling  shall  be  provided  from  the  ex- 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


11 


cavation,  and  that  the  sectional  areas  below  the  levels  of  low-tide,  liigli- 
tide,  and  a  freshet  level  10  feet  above  low- water  shall  not  be  less  than 
25,000,  32,875,  and  48,000  square  feet,  respectively,  for  reasons  set  forth 
in  full  in  liis  report  to  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  dated  January  17,  1882. 

The  line  bounding  the  area  upon  which  the  dredged  material  is  to  be 
deposited  comes  almost  out  to  the  edge  of  the  deep  channel  just  below 
Easby’s  Point,  recedes  therefrom  till  at  two-tliirds  the  distance  to  the 
Long  Bridge  it  is  1,000  feet  distant, 'then  approaching  thereto  it  comes 
nearly  out  to  the  edge  of  the  deep  channel  at  the  lower  end  of  the  re¬ 
claimed  area.  This  channel  does  not  cut  into  either  Analostan  Island 
or  Easby’s  Point,  or  into  Gravelly  Point  except  taking  off  about  400  feet 
of  the  point  on  which  the  causeway  rests. 

I7o  change  of  the  location  of  the  Long  Bridge  is  contemplated  by  this 
plan. 

The  harbor  lines  proposed  are  set  forth  in  detail  in  Mr.  Abert’s  report. 

The  reclaimed  area  projects  about  3,000  feet  below  the  arsenal,  or 
GreenleaPs  Point,  towards  Giesborough  Point.  The  area  of  flats  re¬ 
claimed  is  694  acres.  With  this  general  outline  as  a  basis,  the  plans  pre¬ 
sented  by  him  vary  in  details.  As  to  depth  of  the  main  channel,  the 
alternate  depths  of  25  and  20  feet  are  presented,  with  a  preference  for 
the  latter  depth,  widening  on  the  bottom  as  it  progresses  down  stream. 

Different  projects  are  presented  for  the  details  of  the  arrangements 
of  the  reclaimed  area. 

First,  the  area  to  be  inclosed  by  a  dry  masonry  wall  resting  on  piles, 
retaining  the  deposited  material,  which  is  filled  to  the  height  of  6  feet 
above  low- water  (3  feet  above  ordinary  high-tide).  This  wall  forms  the 
bulkhead  line.  This  surface  of  6  feet  height  above  low-tide  is  to  be  in¬ 
closed  by  an  embankment  of  such  height  as  to  exclude  freshets,  and 
placed  at  a  distance  of  50  feet  from  the  bulkhead  line.  The  area  within 
the  embankment  is  to  be  drained  by  pipe  furnished  with  valves,  to  per¬ 
mit  outflow  but  prevent  inflow.  The  bulkhead  will  form  the  base  from 
which  the  wharves  and  piers  are  to  be  constructed.  Mr.  Abert  esti¬ 
mates  the  cost  of  this  project  at  $2,271,480. 

Second.  The  area  to  be  filled  to  the  general  height  of  6  feet  above 
low-tide,  as  before,  protected  on  the  water  side  by  a  slope  of  riprap  sup¬ 
ported  by  a  footing  of  stone,  but  without  an  embankment  to  exclude 
freshets,  which  would  thus  at  intervals  submerge  this  area.  To  assist 
in  protecting  the  city  against  floods,  an  embankment  is  proposed  from 
Eighteenth  street  to  the  Monument  Lot. 

This  project  Mr.  Abert  estimates  to  cost  $1,891,483. 

Mr.  Abert’s  report  and  drawings  suggest  modifications  of  these  two 
plans  taken  as  bases. 

It  is  also  suggested  by  his  report  that  a  portion  of  the  area  above 
Long  Bridge  may  be  dredged  to  provide  a  basin  from  which  to  sluice 
out  the  Washington  Channel,  or  ponds  may  he  provided  from  which  to 
sluice  out  the  sewer  canal  from  B  street. 

Some  parties  desire  a  channel  or  ship  canal  to  be  cut  from  the  upper 
end  of  the  retained  Washington  Channel  to  the  main  channel,  that  com¬ 
munication  maybe  had  between  the  harbors  of  Washington  and  George¬ 
town  without  making  the  long  detour  by  way  of  Giesborough  Point. 
Mr.  Abert  presents  an  estimate  of  the  cost  of  this  canal,  though  it  forms 
no  part  of  the  plans  presented  by  him. 

III.  Maj.  W.  J.  Twining,  Corps  of  Engineers,  Engineer  Commissioner 
of  the  District,  at  the  request  of  the  Board,  presented  a  drawing  em¬ 
bodying  his  views  of  a  project.  In  horizontal  projection  it  is  very  sim¬ 
ilar  to  the  projects  presented  by  Mr.  Abert,  the  variation  being  chiefly 


12 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


that  of  an  area  of  ponds  above  the  Long  Bridge,  to  be  used  as  sluicing 
basins  for  the  jmrposeof  changing  the  water  in  the  Washington  Channel, 
these  ponds  receiving  water  during  flood  tide  from  the  main  channel, 
and  discharging  on  the  ebb  into  the  Washington  Harbor. 

Major  Twining  proposes  raising  the  level  of  the  reclaimed  area  to  tin* 
height  of  4  feet  above  freshet  overflow,  and  proposes  a  riprap  protec¬ 
tion  alone  for  the  south  side  of  the  reclaimed  area.  He  proposes  a  sec¬ 
tional  area,  below  the  *shet  line,  of  45,000  square  feet.  His  project 
includes  also  the  cutting  of  some  250  feet  off  Easby’s  Point.  For  the 
time  he  would  keep  the  tilling  of  the  flats  somewhat  within  the  line  of 
bulkhead  proposed  by  Mr.  Abert,  until  observation  of  the  river  could 
be  made  with  its  new  regimen,  and  he  would  for  the  present  limit  the 
area  of  deposit  below  the  Long  Bridge  to  perhaps  two-fifths  of  the  con¬ 
templated  project.  His  plan  is  also  to  build  a  catch  sewer  along  the 
harbor  front,  so  that  none  of  the  city  drainage  should  vitiate  the  water 
of  the  harbor,  this  sewer  to  discharge  into  the  Eastern  Branch. 

IV.  Another  plan  for  reclamation  and  improvement  which  has  been 
considered  is  as  follows: 

Beclaim  the  areas  which  are  proposed  to  be  reclaimed  in  the  plans  of 
Major  Twining  and  Mr.  Abert;  but  instead  of  doing  it  by  filling,  use 
the  methods  adopted  in  Holland.  Build  a  dike  around  the  area  to  be 
reclaimed,  which  should  inclose  it  on  the  water  side,  and  on  the  land 
side  should  permit  little  or  uo  rainfall  drainage  to  enter.  The  top  of 
the  dike  to  be  placed  at  3  feet  above  the  flood  of  1877,  which  would 
make  its  greatest  height  12  feet  above  high-tide.  Its  top  width  should 
be  20  feet,  its  slopes  1  on  4,  and  its  river  face  should  be  riprapped. 

The  interior  area  would  have  a  basin  and  would  be  thoroughly  drained 
by  small  canals  in  which  the  level  of  the  water  would  be  kept  3  feet 
below  the  surface  of  the  ground  by  pumps  driven  by  steam -engines. 
The  Seventeenth -street  sewage  canal  in  crossing  the  reclaimed  area 
would  have  its  banks  diked  to  a  height  of  3  feet  above  the  flood  of 
1877.  The  drainage  of  the  reclaimed  area  north  of  this  canal  would 
cross  the  canal  in  a  siphon.  Washington  Harbor  would  become  an  iu- 
closed  harbor,  to  be  maintained  by  dredging,  and  into  which  no  sewage 
should  be  allowed  to  enter.  The  dike  along  the  south  side  of  the  flats 
would  contract  the  Georgetown  Channel,  thus  improving  its  navigation, 
and  this  improvement  would  be  perfected  by  the  dredging  needed  to 
procure  materials  for  the  dikes.  The  reclaimed  land  would  be  available 
for  cultivation  for  parks,  or  for  building  purposes. 

Taking  the  pumping-engines  at  200  effective  horse  power,  the  cost  of 
the  necessary  works  of  improvement  and  of  the  pumping-engines  would 
be  about  $650,000,  and  there  would  be  an  annual  expense  for  pumping 
of  about  $8,000. 

This  plan  of  improvement,  when  the  reclaimed  grounds  are  drained 
to  a  depth  sufficient  to  make  them  as  dry  as  ordinary  uplands,  secures 
the  desired  ends  at  the  minimum  expense. 

But  it  would  leave  much  of  the  reclaimed  lands  below  low-tide,  and 
hence  less  valuable  for  the  purposes  to  which  it  may  hereafter  be  ap¬ 
plied. 

This  Board  is  of  the  opinion  that  an  improvement  which  shall  com¬ 
bine  substantially  and  in  its  essential  features  the  harbor  and  shore 
lines  of  Mr.  Abert’s  plan  from  Easby’s  Point  to  the  arsenal,  and  the 
low-grade  tilling  and  surrounding  embankment  of  that  plan  below  the 
Long  Bridge,  with  a  cheaper  revetment  than  he  proposes,  with  Major 
Twining’s  high-grade  filling  and  sluicing-ponds  between  the  Long  Bridge 
and  Easby’s  Point,  offers  a  better  solution  of  the  various  questions  con- 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


13 


nected  with  the  improvement  of  navigation,  the  establishment  of  the 
harbor  lines,  and  the  reclamation  of  the  flats,  than  any  of  the  other  pro¬ 
jects  or  combination  of  projects  that  have  been  considered,  it  is  re¬ 
garded  as  necessary  to  the  proper  execution  of  this  plan  as  thus  defined 
that  the  channel  depths  in  both  Washington  and  Georgetown  harbors 
should  be  sufficient  to  accommodate  the  largest  draft  that  can  be 
brought  up  to  Arsenal  Point,  with  such  additional  depth  at  the  wharves 
that  vessels  can  receive- their  full  cargoes  without  grounding  at  low- 
water;  that  the  filling  over  the  fiats  above  the  Long  Bridge,  as  well  as 
the  crest  of  the  surrounding  embankment  below,  should  be  carried  up 
to  a  height  of  3  feet  above  the  flood-slope  of  1877;  that  the  flushing- 
ponds  should  not  be  less  than  8  feet  deep,  and  be  provided  with  in¬ 
let  and  outlet  gates  of  ample  dimensions,  automatically  arranged,  for 
filling  the  ponds  from  the  Georgetown  Channel  to  the  level  of  higli-water 
and  emptying  them  into  the  Washington  Channel  to  the  level  of  low- 
water  during  each  oscillation  of  the  tide;  that  an  ample  system  of  drain¬ 
age  for  the  reclaimed  areas  be  provided;  that  all  sewage  now  discharg¬ 
ing  into  the  Washington  Channel  should  be  intercepted  and  conveyed 
away  to  the  James  Creek  sewer  canal  east  of  the  Arsenal;  and  that 
the  Long  Bridge  shall  be  rebuilt,  at  an  early  period  during  the  progress 
of  the  improvements,  with  wide  spans  upon  piers  offering  the  least  pos¬ 
sible  obstruction  to  the  flow  of  water. 

The  Board  recommends  the.adoption  of  this  plan  of  improvement,  with 
such  modifications  of  details,  to  be  submitted  in  a  future  report,  as  a 
further  study  of  the  subject  may  suggest  as  advantageous  or  expedient. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  cost  of  the  improvement  as  recommended  will 
be  about  $2,500,000. 

It  is  desirable  that  an  appropriation  of  not  less  than  $1,000,000  should 
be  made  in  one  sum. 

The  Board  recognizes  the  principle  that  the  area  of  the  tidal  compart¬ 
ment  of  a  stream  should  be  diminished  as  little  as  possible  in  any  project 
designed  solely  or  mainly  for  the  improvement  of  the  channel.  In  the 
case  under  consideration  other  interests  than  those  connected  with  navi¬ 
gation  are  to  be  subserved,  the  reclamation  of  the  flats,  with  the  conse¬ 
quent  reduction  of  the  capacity  of  the  tidal  basin,  being  one  of  the 
leading  objects  to  be  attained.  The  mischief,  if  any  shall  ensue,  from 
nonconformity  to  a  well-established  law,  will  not,  it  is  thought,  be  serious, 
and  it  will  be  felt,  if  at  all,  below  the  Arsenal,  and  not  at  the  site  of  the 
works. 

The  Board  have  had  the  opportunity  to  examine  the  interesting  report 
of  Col.  George  E.  Waring,  jr.,  to  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  public 
buildings  and  grounds,  dated  Xovember  2G,  1881,  concerning  an  exami¬ 
nation  made  by  the  former  of  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  Executive 
Mansion  in  August,  1881. 

The  report  is  hereunto  appended. 

ANACOSTIA  RIVER. 


The  information  before  the  Board  is  not  sufficient  to  serve  as  a  basis 
of  a  general  plan  for  the  improvement  of  the  Anacostia.  This  is  due 
to  the  want  of  money  for  the  necessary  surveys.  The  Board,  therefore, 
makes  no  recommendation  for  the  Anacostia  other  than  for  the  dredg¬ 
ing  of  a  channel  20  feet  deep  at  mean  low-water,  and  125  feet  wide, 
through  the  shoals  which  now  prevent  proper  access  to  the  navy-yard, 
with  tbe  excavation  of  a  turning  basin  of  suitable  capacity  and  24  feet 
depth  at  the  yard.  The  cost  of  such  dredging  will  be  about  $50,000, 


14 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


which  is  included  in  the  aggregate  of  $2,500,000  previously  given.  This 
extent  of  improvement  is  understood  to  be  all  that  is  necessary  at  this 
time. 

Accompanying  this  report  are  the  following  maps  and  documents  : 


Report  of  Mr.  S.  T.  Abort  to  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  dated  January  17,  1882,  with 
its  accompanying  maps  and  drawings. 

Extract  from  the  report  of  the  Commissioners  District  of  Columbia,  for  the  year 
ending  June  30,  1879.  .  . 

Letter  of  Major  W.  J.  Twining,  Corps  of  Engineers,  Engineer  Commissioner  of  the 
District,  with  map  of  the  improvement  proposed  by  him. 

Report  of  George  E.  Waring,  jr.,  on  the  improvement' of  the  sanitary  condition  of 
the  Executive  Mansion. 


Respect  f u  11  y  submit t  e  d . 

Q.  A.  GILLMORE, 

Lieut.  Cot.  of  Engineers,  Bvt.  Maj.  Gen.  U.  8,  A. 

WM.  P.  CRAIGHILL, 
Lieut.  Col.  of  Engineers. 
C.  B.  COMSTOCK, 

Lieut.  Col.  of  Engineers  and  Bvt.  Brig.  Gen.  C.  8.  A. 

Thomas  Turtle, 

Captain  of  Engineers ,  Recorder. 

Brig.  Gen.  H.  G.  Wright, 

Chief  of  Engineers,  U.  8.  A. 


POTOMAC  RIVER  FRONT. 

[Extract  from  the  Report  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  District  of  Columbia  for  the  year  ending  June 

30,  187&.J 

The  condition  of  the  river  frontage  of  the  city  demands  the  immediate  and  careful 
consideration  of  Congress,  not  only  as  a  measure  of  health,  hut  also  with  reference  to 
the  future  commercial  interests  of  the  city.  The  gradual  accretions  of  the  flats  have 
reached  that  point  when  it  is  necessary  that  some  decisive  action  should  be  taken  to 
abate  what  is  rapidly  becoming  a  gigantic  and  intolerable  nuisance.  Three  plans  have 
been  proposed : 

1st.  To  deflect  the  river  around  Easby’s  Point,  and  as  nearly  as  possible  along  the 
Washington  shore. 

2d.  To  divide  the  river  into  two  channels,  one  along  the  Washington  and  the  other 
along  the  Virginia  shore. 

3d.  To  retain  but  one  channel  along  the  Virginia  shore,  and  to  fill  from  the  present 
city  to  that  line. 

To  the  first  of  these  plans  three  objections  arise  : 

1st.  The  practical  difficulty  of  forcing  a  river  subject  to  violent  floods  into  the  desired 
position. 

2d.  That  a  large  extent  of  malarial  marsh  will  remain  on  the  Virginia  side,  to  be  a 
perpetual  nuisance  to  the  city. 

3d.  From  the  curvature  of  the  channel,  the  deep  water  for  a  long  distance  below 
Easby’s  Point  will  be  upon  the  Virginia  side  and  the  shoal  water  for  that  distance 
along  the  city  front,  thus  sacrificing  what  will  in  time  be  a  valuable  wharfage. 

With  reference  to  the  harbor  of  Washington  and  the  three  plans  above  mentioned, 
the  hoard  of  survey  ordered  by  act  of  Congress  approved  March  5,  1872,  reported  as 
follows : 

“1.  The  so-called  harbor  of  Washington  consists  of  merely  an  insignificant  channel 
running  along  the  Potomac  front,  from  the  Arsenal  Point  (formerly  known  as  Green- 
leaf’s  Point,  the  upper  point  at  the  junction  of  the  Anacostia  with  the  Potomac),  up 
to  the  end  of  the  wharf  at  Seventeenth  street,  a  distance  of  4,000  yards,  with  also  a 
small  channel  running  along  the  Anacostia  front. 

“2.  The  Potomac  Channel  lias  an  average  width  of  400  feet  up  to  Maryland  avenue, 
or  Long  Bridge,  between  the  depths,  on  either  side,  of  6  feet  at  mean  low-water,  uar- 
rowing  off  the  arsenal  lower  wharf  to  250  feet.  The  greatest  depth  at  mean  low- 
water,  which  can  be  carried  up  through  a  small  gulley  in  the  channel  to  the  lower 
wharves  at  Sixth  street  southwest,  is  11  feet,  and  up  to  Maryland  avenue  8  feet.  From 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


15 


tlie  Long  Bridge  lip,  tliis  channel,  gradually  narrowing,  shoals,  and  becomes  lost  in  the 
flats  off  Seventeenth-street  wharf. 

“3.  The  Anacostia  Channel  has  an  average  width  of  but  350  feet  between  the  depths 
of  6  feet  on  either  side,  narrowing  at  one  point  to  250  feet.  The  greatest  depth  at 
mean  low-water  which  can  be  carried  up  through  a  small  gulley  in  the  channel  to  the 
navy-yard  is  14  feet.  That  portion  of  the  channel  alone  extending  from  the  arsenal 
to  the  bridge  just  above  the  navy-yard  is  considered.  This  channel  extends,  however, 
nil  the  Anacostia,  gradually  decreasing  in  depth  until  at  a  distance  of  one  mile  above 
the  bridge  it  has  a  depth  of  but  6  feet. 

“4.  The  harbor  of  Geoi'getown  consists  of  a  deep  portion  of  the  Potomac  River  lying 
between  the  front  of  the  town  on  the  left  bank,  and  a  small  portion  of  the  right  bank, 
and  Aualostan  Island,  near  the  right  bank.  The  Georgetown  and  Alexandria  Canal 
crosses  the  river  at  the  upper  end  of  the  town,  1,500  feet  above  Aualostan  Island,  by 
an  aqueduct,  at  a  height  of  about  30  feet  above  mean  high-water,  supported  on  stone 
piers,  which  also  support  a  bridge  above  the  aqueduct.  This  harbor  has  an  average 
width  of  800  feet,  with  an  average  depth  of  25  feet  at  mean  low-water.  But  the  great¬ 
est  natural  depth  over  the  bar,  in  the  main  channel  of  the  Potomac,  just  below  this 
harbor,  is  but  10  feet  at  mean  low-water.  This  depth  has  been  increased  by  dredging, 
to  15  feet,  with  a  width  at  the  bottom  of  the  channel  of  200  feet. 

“5.  This  main  channel  runs  down  from  Georgetown  Harbor,  between  Analostan 
Island  and  Easby’s  Point  (the  south  end  of  Twenty-seventh  street  west),  along  the 
right  bank  of  the  river,  as  far  as  the  southwest  end  of  Long  Bridge,  and  thence  runs 
toward  the  lower  point  of  the  mouth  of  the  Anacostia,  called  Giesborough  Point,  off 
which  it  joins  the  channel  from  the  Anacostia  and  that  from  the  Potomac  front  of 
Washington,  and  thence  the  three  form  the  deep  channel  which  continues  down  the 
river. 

“  The  length  of  this  channel,  from  the  canal  aqueduct  to  deep  water  off  Giesborough 
Point,  is  25,000  feet. 

“6.  Between  the  main  channel  of  the  Potomac  leading  from  Geisborough  Point  to 
Georgetown  Harbor,  on  its  southwest  and  west  sides,  the  small  channel  along  the  Wash¬ 
ington  front  on  the  northeast  and  east  sides,  the  shore  lying  between  Se\  euteenth  street 
west  and  Twenty-seventh  street  west  (or  Easby’s  Point)  lies  an  immense  marshy  flat 
of  over  1,000  acres  in  extent.  One-third  of  this  flat  is  a  marshy  land,  out  at  low- 
water,  with  but  1  to  4  feet  of  water  upon  the  remainder.  This  marsh  land  lias  ac¬ 
cumulated  with  greater  rapidity  during  the  last  twenty  years,  from  the  constantly 
increasing  deposits  of  the  materials  brought  down  by  the  Potomac,  as  the  country 
above  is  cleared  of  forests  and  put  under  cultivation. 

“  These  materials  find  a  natural  place  of  deposit  at  this  place,  as  the  Potomac  here 
changes  entirely,  from  a  narrow  mountain  stream  to  a  broad,  lake-like  river,  which 
character,  with  broad  flats,  having  a  deep  channel  through  them,  it  retains  until  near 
its  mouth. 

“  7 .  The  deposits  upon  the  flat  referred  to,  in  front  of  Washington,  increase  greatly 
every  year,  as  do  the  marsh  and  water  grasses  which  grow  rankly  on  all  parts  of  it, 
becoming  annually  more  and  more  obnoxious  in  every  way. 

“The  reclamation  of  this  flat  is  an  absolute  necessity  for  the  preservation  of  the 
health  of  the  city,  and  must  be  included  in  any  plan,  aside  from  commercial  purposes, 
for  the  improvement  of  the  water-front  of  Washington. 

“8.  Three  general  plans  only  are  reasonably  feasible,  but  the  details  may  be  greatly 
varied.  These- general  plans  are — 

“A.  To  carry  the  main  channel  from  the  lower  end  of  Analostan  Island  across  the 
flats  above  Long  Bridge  and  below  Easby’s  Point  into  the  small  channel  running  along 
the  Washington  front,  at  or  near  the  intersection  of  the  extensions  of  Seventeenth 
and  C  and  I)  streets,  southwest,  and  thence  continuing  along  the  present  front  of  the 
city  until  it  joins  the  deep  channel  of  the  river,  just  below  the  arsenal. 

“B.  To  have  two  channels,  forming  the  flats  above  and  below  Long  Bridge  into  an 
island.  The  main  deep  channel  to  remain  along  the  right  bank  of  the  river  down  to 
Gravelly  Point  (just  below  Long  Bridge),  and  thence  to  the  deep  channel  off  Giesbor¬ 
ough  Point.  The  second  and  smaller  channel  to  run  from  a  point  just  below  Easby’s 
Point  across  the  flats,  with  its  upper  edge  touching  the  end  of  the  wharf  at  Seven¬ 
teenth  street  west,  and  thence  along  the  present  Washington  front  until  all  the  chan¬ 
nels  join  the  deep  channel  of  the  river  off  Giesborough  Point. 

“  C.  To  have  but  one  channel  of  sufficient  width  and  depth  for  all  purposes;  a  direct 
continuation  of  the  river  at  Georgetown,  to  run  along  the  right  bank  of  the  river  as 
f.r  down  as  Gravelly  Point,  and  thence  directly  towards  Giesborough  Point  on  the 
left  bank,  joining  the  deep  channel  of  the  river  at  that  point,  following  nearly  the 
present  main  channel  of  the  river. 


‘  9.  The  plan  A  does  not  reclaim  the  immense  flat  in  front  of  the  city,  this  reclama- 
ti(  n  being  an  absolute  necessity  for  sanitary  as  well  as  commercial  purposes.  This 
flat  would  rapidly  become  an  enormous  marsh  opposite  the  city,  and  upon  that  side 
from  which  the  prevalent  winds  blow,  especially  in  summer  and  autumn.  The  cost  ior 


16 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


excavation  in  this  plan  would  equal  that  in  either  of  the  other  plans,  and  its  cost  for 
bulkhead  would  equal  that  of  C,  but  would  be  less  than  that  of  plan  B.  The  cost  of 
tilling  up  the  remainder  of  the  great  marshy  flats  lying  on  the  right  of  the  channel  thus 
made  to  the  right  bank  (a  filling  necessary  for  sanitary  reasons)  would  greatly  ex¬ 
ceed  the  cost  of  filling  in  either  of  the  other  plans,  and  these  flats  would  be  of  com¬ 
paratively  no  value  when  filled. 

“The  plan  B  reclaims  and  utilizes,  as  does  plan  C,  the  whole  of  the  flat  lying  in 
front  of  the  city,  but  forms  it  into  an  island.  The  cost  of  its  tilling  and  excavation 
does  not  differ  greatly  from  that  of  plan  C,  but  the  cost  of  its  bulkhead  greatly  ex¬ 
ceeds  that  of  the  latter.  It  has  the  advantage  of  much  greater  frontage,  viz  :  B,  about, 
for  both  harbors,  58,500  feet,  and  C,  about  37,000  feet,  exclusive  of  piers,  wharves,  <fcc. 
These  last,  in  It,  could  be  nearly  double  those  in  C.  In  the  plan  B  there  would  lie  a 
wide  channel  separating  it  from  the  city,  involving  a  large  additional  cost  for  bridges; 
less  land  would  be  reclaimed,  and  none  of  it  advantageously  available  for  govern¬ 
mental  uses.  But  it  would  afford  greater  advantages  for  the  drainage  and  sewerage 
of  a  large  part  of  the  city. 

“The  plan  C  reclaims  all  the  flats,  and  advances  the  city  front  directly  to  the  edge 
of  the  harbor  channel ;  affords  abundant  frontage,  about  37,000  feet,  exclusive  of 
piers,  wharves,  &c.  ;  is  much  less  expensive,  and  gives  about  455  acres  of  land  most 
advantageously  located  for  government  purposes. 

“  10.  l’his  last  plan,  C,  is  the  one  adopted.” 

It  is  proposed  to  modify  the  plan  of  the  board  of  1872  in  three  particulars: 

1st.  By  leaving  the  present  inside  or  Washington  Channel  below  the  Long  Bridge, 
providing  suitable  sluicing  basins  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  channel  in  proper 
sanitary  condition. 

2d.  By  reducing  the  width  of  the  outer  or  Georgtown  Channel  to  2,000  feet. 

3d.  By  changing  somewhat  the  proposed  distribution  of  the  reclaimed  lands  in  order 
to  correspond  to  the  above  modifications. 

The  width  of  the  main  channel  is  determined  as  follows  : 

The  low-water  sections  of  the  river  give  the  following  areas  in  square  feet,  viz : 


At  Long  Bridge,  H.  R.  Report  No.  204,  February  10,  1834 .  23,977 

Section  at  arsenal  (small  area  on  marsh  south  of  main  channel  omitted) . 23, 175 

Sections  at  Long  Bridge,  west  side . .  25,017 

Sections  at  Long  Bridge,  east  side . .  27,  978 


Mean .  26,  497 


The  obstruction  in  and  about  the  piers  of  the  Long  Bridge  makes  the  sections  at  that 
point  only  approximate.  It  may  be  assumed,  however,  that  the  mean  of  the  three  sec¬ 
tions  at  and  below  the  Long  Bridge  will  give  a  fair  approximation  to  the  natural  low- 
water  channel-way  of  the  river.  The  mean  thus  found  is  24,549  square  feet.  With 
a  channel-way  of  2,000  feet  the  mean  depth  should  be  12.27  feet.  With  this  mean  depth 
the  extreme  channel  depth  should  be  over  25  feet.  The  mean  of  the  sections  on  the 
bridge  for  the  present  main  channel  is  21,356  feet;  the  width  is  about  2,000  feet,  or, 
deducting  one-twentieth  for  piers  and  obstructions,  1,900  feet.  The  mean  depth  is 
11.24  feet,  and  the  extreme  depth  about  26  feet. 

The  sectional  area  of  the  proposed  channel  at  the  Long  Bridge,  assuming  a  rise  at 
that  point  of  9  feet  above  mean  low  water,  will  be  41,646  feet;  the  present  area  is 
44,134  feet.  It  will  be  necessary  then  to  take  out  the  causeway  now  existing  at  the 
south  end  of  the  bridge,  219  feet  iu  length,  to  the  low-water  mark.  This  will  increase 
the  area  to  43,617  feet. 

During  the  freshet  of  1877  the  rise  at  Easby’s  Foint  was  14  feet;  at  Seventeenth 
street,  10  feet ;  at  the  Long  Bridge,  9  feet,  and  at  the  arsenal  8.4  feet  above  low  water. 
The  relation  between  these  different  points  shows  that  the  Long  Bridge  presented  no 
obstruction  to  the  free  passage  of  the  waters.  As  a  measure  of  safety  it  might  be  well 
to  carry  the  bridge,  in  trestle,  for  a  distance  sufficient  to  give  a  total  liigh-water 
sectional  area  of  45,000  feet. 

The  river  at  Easby’s  Point  is  reduced  to  a  low-water  section  of  18,900  feet,  added 
to  which  the  configuration  of  the  shore  is  such  as  to  throw  the  current  of  the  main 
channel  strongly  against  the  Virginia  side,  and  to  form  a  broad  morass  under  the  lea 
of  the  point.  It  is  extremely  important  that  all  the  wharfage  line  down  to  Seven¬ 
teenth  street  should  be  preserved,  and  that  there  should  be  a  uniform  depth  along 
the  whole  of  this  frontage.  The  channel  should  therefore  be  opened  by  cutting  off 
the  point,  and  giving  it  an  area  as  great  as  it  can  probably  maintain;  that  is,  about 
24,000  feet.  If  the  depth  along  the  bulkhead  is  assumed  to  be  23  feet,  there  will  be 
222  feet  to  be  cut  from  the  point.  The  excavation  will  be  mostly  in  rock,  but  the 
greater  part  in  open  cutting.  It  seems  most  probable  that  the  point  of  Analostan 
Island  should  also  be  removed  to  the  depth  of  about  6  feet  below  low  water,  in  or¬ 
der  to  throw  the  main  channel  more  easily  against  the  proposed  line  of  the  Washing¬ 
ton  shore.  This  is,  however,  a  matter  of  no  pressing  importance,  since  the  direction 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


17 


of  the  main  channel  may  be  controlled  by  a  retaining  wall,  composed  of  rough  stone, 
carried  down  i  0^1  the  island  in  the  position  indicated.  The  channel  at  this  point 
should  be  about  1,500  feet  in  width.  With  a  rise  of  10  feet  in  time  of  flood,  the  sec¬ 
tional  area  would  be  59,000.  The  channel-wav  back  of  Analostan  Island,  or  the  sec¬ 
tion  of  the  river,  should  then  be  opened  to  such  a  width  as  to  give  about  5,000  feet  ad¬ 
ditional  area.  By  this  means  the  flood  line  along  the  Georgetown  wharves  would  be 
lowered  about  3  feet.  It  would  seem  better,  if  possible,  to  avoid  opening  the  An¬ 
alostan  chute  on  account  of  disturbing  the  regimen  of  the  river  below.  This  might  be 
done  by  cutting  the  channel  to  a  somewhat  greater  width  at  the  head  of  the  island. 
This,  however,  is  a  matter  which  may  be  left  for  future  consideration.  We  may  say 
with  certainty  that  the  bar  in  the  Georgetown  channel  will  disappear  when  the  works 
here  outlined  shall  have  been  completed. 

The  inside  channel,  being  stopped  at  the  Long  Bridge,  will  become  an  inside  basin. 
With  such  an  arrangement  proper  means  must  be  taken  to  keep  the  water  in  a  pure 
and  wholesome  condition.  To  accomplish  this  end  flushing  or  sluicing  basins  are  to  be 
provided  on  the  present  flats  above  the  bridge,  into  which  the  water  from  the  outer 
channel  may  be  admitted  at  high  tide  by  automatic  gates.  The  waters  so  accumu¬ 
lated  will  be  used  to  flush  the  inner  channel  on  the  last  third  of  the  ebb  tide.  The 
total  area  of  these  basins  is  100  acres.  As  the  mean  rise  of  the  tide  is  3  feet,  the  quan¬ 
tity  of  pure  water  passing  from  them  into  the  inner  channel  with  each  tide  will  be 
about  14,000,000  of  cubic  feet.  The  entire  contents  of  a  channel-way  500  feet  wide, 
with  a  mean  depth  of  12  feet,  will  be  54,000,000  cubic  feet.  The  inflowdng  tides  will 
supply  27,000,000,  while  the  flushing  basins  will  supply  28,000,000.  Thus  the  water 
will  be  entirely  displaced  each  day.  For  a  channel  of  greater  dimensions  larger  basins 
may  be  provided  below  the  present  causeway. 

With  this  general  scheme  the  flats  to  be  reclaimed  form  themselves  into  three  nat¬ 
ural  divisions :  1st.  The  portion  lying  below  Easby’s  Point  and  above  Seventeenth 
street  ;  2d.  The  area  between  Seventeenth  street  and  the  causeway  of  the  Long 
Bridge;  3d.  The  flat  extending  from  the  Long  Bridge  to  the  Arsenal  Point,  and  in¬ 
cluded  between  the  two  proposed  channels. 

Each  of  these  divisions  will  require  a  different  treatment.  The  immediate  object  to 
be  attained  is  to  put  the  flats  in  such  condition  that  they  will  no  longer  be  the  source 
of  malarial  disease.  With  this  great  end  in  view,  a  bulkhead  line  should  be  carried 
from  Easby’s  Point  to  the  Long  Bridge.  The  area  above  Seventeenth  street  and  within 
the  bulkhead  should  be  filled  to  a  height  of  one  foot  above  mean  high  tide,  and  drained 
by  automatic  tidal  gates  in  the  manner  usually  practiced  in  the  reclamation  of  other 
tidal  marshes.  It  would  then  remain  in  the  condition  of  a  meadow  until  by  the  growth 
of  the  city  it  is  required  for  business  purposes. 

The  portion  lying  below  Seventeenth  street  and  above  the  Long  Bridge  should  be 
filled  to  extreme  high  w^ater,  and  added  to  the  public  parkings,  thereby  securing  to 
these  grounds  a  river  frontage,  and  including  the  open  lake  and  ornamental  ponds 
which  form  the  sluicing  basins  for  the  inside  channel. 

The  reclaimed  lands  below  the  Long  Bridge  should  be  filled  to  the  height  of  two  feet 
above  ordinary  high  tide,  forming  meadows  which  would  only  be  overflowed  at  long 
intervals  during  extreme  high  water.  In  this  condition  they  might  remain  until  re¬ 
quired  for  business  purposes. 

The  inside  channel  should  be  bulkheaded  on  the  Washington  shore,  and  along  the 
flats  simply  secured  by  a  slight  embankment  with  a  footing  of  rough  stones. 

The  main  embankment  extending  from  Easby’s  Point  to  the  Long  Bridge  should  be 
secured  by  a  footing  of  rough  stone  and  riprap.  The  present  width  has  been  taken 
at  50  feet  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  driveway  along  the  river  front. 

The  system  of  sewers  emptying  at  Seventeenth  street  should  be  carried  out  to  deep 
water  through  an  open  canal  9  feet  in  depth,  with  revetted  banks  to  prevent  the 
lodgment  of  sewage  at  low  tide.  The  total  area  of  lands  reclaimed  will  be  about  630 
acres,  of  which  one-third  will  be  thrown  into  the  public  parkings. 

On  revising  the  above  there  are  certain  modifications  which  I  wrould  now  recom¬ 
mend.  As  originally  proposed  the  portion  of  the  flats  lying  above  Seventeenth  street 
and  Easby’s  Point,  and  included  between  the  present  shore  line  and  the  Virginia 
channel,  was  to  be  raised  to  the  height  of  high  tide  and  drained  as  a  tidal  marsh.  It 
wrould  seem,  however,  that  as  this  land  would  have  an  immediate  marketable  value, 
probably  exceeding  the  cost  of  the  reclamation,  it  would  be  advisable  to  fill  to  its  full 
height  of  four  feet  above  the  flood  line,  and  thus  bring  the  property  at  once  into 
market. 

Under  this  supposition  the  entire  cost  of  the  till  above  the  Long  Bridge,  which,  ex¬ 
cluding  the  area  to  be  occupied  by  the  ponds,  will  be  about  214  acres,  would  be 
$856,000.  To  this  must  be  added  the  cost  of  the  sluiceways  at  the  head  of  the  inside 
channel,  $40,000;  at  the  outer  channel,  $30,000;  and  at  the  canal,  $10,000;  also  for 
riprap  on  the  outer  channel,  $40,500;  and  for  the  interior  lake,  $10,000;  giving  a 

S.  Ex.  12 0 - 2 


18 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


grand  total  of  $986,500.  Adding  ten  per  cent,  for  contingencies  the  total  cost  of  the 
improvement  above  the  Long  Bridge  will  be  $1,085,150. 

Below  the  Long  Bridge  the  expenditure  may  be  regulated  by  the  future  demands  of 
the  city. 

At  the  present  time,  as  the  flat  is  not  out  of  water  for  its  whole  extent,  even  at  ex¬ 
treme  low  tide,  a  fill  of  one-half  of  the  total  area  would  be  sufficient  and  could  be 
executed  for  $610,000,  or,  adding  $36,000  for  riprap,  $664,000. 

The  cost  of  the  cutting  at  Easby’s  Point  is  estimated  as  follows: 


80,000  cubic  yards,  at  $4.50 .  $360,000 

27,000  cubic  yards,  at  $1.50  .  40,500 

36,000  earth  excavation,  at  20  cents .  7,200 


Total .  407,  700 

The  cutting  on  Analostan  Island  is  not  essential  to  our  present  purposes  and  may 
be  left  for  future  consideration.  The  ultimate  cost  would  not  exceed  $110,000. 

It  is  to  be  observed  that  the  question  of  navigation  is  so  intimately  allied  with  the 
sanitary  problem  that  they  must  be  considered  as  one. 

In  presenting  the  subject  for  the  consideration  of  Congress  four  questions  arise,  viz  : 
1st.  Is  this  a  work  which  should  be  executed  at  the  present  time  ?  2d.  Is  it  advisable 
to  have  the  work  done  as  a  public  or  private  enterprise  ?  3d.  If  executed  as  a  public 

work,  may  the  methods  be  left  to  the  discretion  of  a  board  of  engineers;  and,  if  so, 
what  should  be  the  constitution  of  that  board?  4th.  What  disposition  should  be 
made  of  the  various  undefined  rights  which  are  now  vaguely  claimed  by  various  in¬ 
dividuals  and  companies  ? 

W.  J.  TWINING, 

Major  of  Engineers. 


Acres. 

Area  above  Long  Bridge  between  present  shore  line  aud  proposed  bulkhead  ...  323.  9 
To  pier  heads .  380.  4 


Area  below  Long  Bridge — 


To  bulkhead  line . . . 

To  pier  heads . 

Area  above  Long  Bridge,  between  continuation  of  Washington  Channel  and 

bulkhead  line . 

To  pier  heads . . 

Between  continuation  of  Washington  Channel  and  present  shore  line  to  bulk¬ 
head  . 

To  pier  heads . . . 

Between  Easby’s  Point  and  Seventeenth-street  canal . . 


305.9 
363.  7 

86.4 

110.5 


164.  0 
196.4 
104.6 


LETTER  OF  MAJOR  WILLIAM  J.  TWINING,  CORPS  OF  ENGINEERS,  EN¬ 
GINEER  COMMISSIONER  OF  THE  DISTRICT  OF  COLUMBIA. 

Engineer  Department,  District  of  Columbia, 

Washington ?  February  10,  1882. 

Sir:  In  reply  to  the  letter  of  the  Board  of  the  12th  instant  requesting 
me  to  present  in  writing  such  modifications  as  I  now  think  should  be 
made  in  the  plan  proposed  by  me  in  the  annual  report  of  the  Commis¬ 
sioners  of  the  District  of  Columbia  for  the  year  of  1879,  and  requesting 
estimates  of  cost,  I  have  the  honor  to  state  that  so  far  as  the  general 
plan  of  the  reclamation  and  tlie  treatment  of  the  river  channel  and  inner 
harbor  are  concerned,  I  see  no  reason  to  recommend  any  change. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  say  that  the  method  of  determining  the  proper 
width  of  the  main  channel  was  somewhat  crude,  by  reason  of  the  lack  of 
time  and  data,  but  the  very  important  fact  that  no  perceptible  change 
had  taken  place  in  the  area  of  the  low-water  section  of  the  river  and  no 
essential  change  in  the  relative  dimensions  of  the  Washington  and  Vir¬ 
ginia  channels  were  sufficiently  established.  The  later  surveys  of  course 
afforded  more  accurate  results,  but  show  that  the  low- water  section  as¬ 
sumed  was  very  nearly  correct. 


*  "V 

'lan 

^he( 

Prot 


7b  ihe 


MAP 


□□OCT 


OF  THE 


gqoonay 

□MfiBapS 


<□□□□□□0^ 


□nr 


"Sul 

SiDfcyyt 

_  [  ]  Fr3nDD^r-im^J 

oocpqpgPpo 


],□ 


CITY  OF  WASHINGTON 

Showing  the  plan  for  the  He  cl  amotion 
( of '  the  JKarsh  e  ,s  on  the  Thlomac  Riverfront. 

Proposed  by 

H'r/  Twining, 

SMcyor  jo f  Engineer# 

En</r  Commissioner  D.C 

JlesorjsbecL  zn  ihe  annual  report  lh*>  Commissioners D.C. 
f  for  the  year  ending  Jane  gOfth.  l#79. 


^ — ii — / 1 


ODD 


JUPICI***  So*- 


E^a 


DDQ.apflL 
000001,  DP  !_□□  lj 

v  □ 


rrrre 


^OOm^PuuuumD 

nnnniczinnDDy^D 

r  Copl 


P^i 


On 

□DP 


:&3' 


Unnt^ 


Forwarded,  to  Ihe  Board  g  Engineer s,  Feb.  28thl882. 

n'p  S/O-i/t-  t  f  f  <  r^y 
Jtajor  of  F tiffin  eery 


SEN.  EX.  00C.  No.  iM.s  1st  SESS.,  47th  CONG. 


□□■I 


□  □□□ 
'0 


§^Bpn — 
BSan^flOBSS 


□ 


i  inn 
‘  i nod 


□□□□□^ 
- ^ 


□  □IQD 


□  McMnCi  ddfc 


wB3EK 


p/flnn^ 

□  norazjp:  dot 

□  D  DiaDG  DP 


□dps - 

□  □  edoD 


_ uPt _ i  - - - - - 

Idmq 
□Pai 
□ 


d 


Navy  Yar  d 


□  □PP 

□or 


R 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


19 


In  the  recommendation  made  upon  page  5  [page  16  of  this  document] 
in  regard  to  the  removal  of  Easby’s  Point,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that 
it  is  not  necessary  to  cut  to  a  depth  of  more  than  17  feet,  and  that  the 
amount  thus  saved,  which  would  probably  equal  one-third  of  the  cost  of 
the  total  cutting,  might  be  more  advantageously  applied  to  the  removal 
of  the  rocky  point  on  Analostan  Island  to  a  depth  of  6  feet  below  low- 
water,  this  depth  being  assumed  simply  as  one  which  would  be  sufficient 
to  prevent  the  growth  of  aquatic  plants.  The  question  of  cutting  away 
these  points  requires  a  more  careful  preliminary  examination  and  survey 
than  has  yet  been  made  before  any  accurate  estimates  can  be  given. 
My  estimate  of  $407,700,  upon  page  9  [page  18  of  this  document],  was 
based  upon  very  partial  measurements  and  soundings. 

In  no  case  should  the  Analostan  Chute  be  disturbed  before  the  effect 
of  the  operations  upon  the  island  and  of  Easby’s  Point  shall  have  been 
determined. 

The  recommendation  upon  page  6  [page  17  of  this  document]  in  regard 
to  the  dimension  of  the  inner  harbor  and  the  uses  of  the  sluicing  basins 
above  the  bridge  were  based  upon  the  idea  that  an  actual  flushing  effect 
could  be  obtained  in  addition  to  the  simple  and  obvious  purpose  of  puri¬ 
fication.  I  am  of  the  opinion  now  that  the  width  of  the  harbor  can  be 
increased  to  any  required  dimension,  say  800  feet,  and  that  the  supply 
of  water  from  the  sluicing  basins  will  still  be  ample  to  insure  a  perfect 
sanitary  condition. 

Under  the  conditions  of  this  harbor  there  will  be  little  or  no  (  eposit, 
and  any  depth  which  may  be  once  obtained  by  dredging  will  be  main¬ 
tained  for  many  years. 

On  page  7  [page  17  of  this  document]  a  recommendation  is  made  look¬ 
ing  to  the  partial  filling  of  the  area  above  the  canal  at  Seventeenth 
street,  and  lying  below  Easby’s  Point.  I  am  now  disposed  to  recom¬ 
mend  the  complete  filling  of  this  area,  since  it  would  immediately  as¬ 
sume  a  value  which  would  readily  repay  the  expenditure. 

I  have  carefully  examined  the  estimate  on  page  8  [pages  17  and  18 
of  this  document]  for  the  reclamation  of  the  area  above  the  Long  Bridge. 

The  estimate  allows  $4,400  per  acre  for  filling.  Assuming  an  average 
fill  of  4  cubic  yards  to  each  surface  yard,  the  allowance  amounts  to  23 
cents  per  cubic  yard,  which  I  think  is  sufficiently  large.  The  estimates 
for  sluiceways  are  also  ample.  I  therefore  see  no  reason  to  change  the 
amount  of  the  total  estimate  for  the  improvement  above  the  bridge.  It 
is  to  be  understood  that  the  estimates  apply  only  to  the  reclamation  of 
the  portion  lying  within  the  harbor  line,  shown  upon  my  map  as  sub¬ 
mitted  to  the  Board;  and  if  the  included  area  should  be  increased  by 
throwing  the  line  farther  out,  a  corresponding  allowance  should  be  made. 

It  may  be  proper  to  present  to  the  Board  my  views  as  to  the  order  of 
events  in  carrying  out  the  details  of  the  plan,  if  it  should  be  adopted. 

The  filling  above  the  Seventeenth  street  canal  should  be  begun  with 
material  taken  from  the  main  channel,  the  bulkhead  line  being  carried 
down  as  far  as  Seventeenth  street.  Simultaneously  the  outer  and  inner 
sluiceways  should  be  begun,  and  when  completed  they  should  be  con¬ 
nected  by  a  canal  occupying  a  part  of  the  area  to  be  covered  by  the 
ponds,  and  having  as  large  a  reservoir  capacity  as  can  be  given  it.  The 
bulkhead  line  should  then  be  carried  to  the  bridge  and  the  lower  lake 
excavated,  the  drainage  of  the  remaining  area  being  effected  through 
the  Seventeenth  street  canal.  After  the  lower  lake  has  been  completed, 
the  permanent  connection  between  the  sluiceways  and  the  lake  should 
be  established.  The  second  lake  can  then  be  dredged,  and  its  connec¬ 
tion  made  with  the  one  already  in  operation. 


20 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


The  object  of  the  method  here  recommended  is  to  prevent  the  inner 
harbor  from  being  filled  with  the  sediment  which  will  be  stirred  up  in 
the  process  of  dredging  above. 

Very  respectfully,  vour  obedient  servant, 

W.  J.  TWINING, 

Major  of  Engineers , 

Engineer  Commissioner ,  District  of  Columbia. 

General  Q.  A.  Gillmore, 

President  of  Board  of  Engineers, 

Harbor  of  Washington ,  D.  C. 

-  9 

REPORT  OF  MR.  GEORGE  E.  WARING,  JR.,  ON  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SANITARY 

CONDITION  OF  THE  EXECUTIVE  MANSION. 

Newport,  R.  I.,  November  26,  1881. 

Sir  :  On  the  18th  of  August  I  made  as  careful  an  examination  of  the  interior  sanitary 
condition  of  the  Executive  Mansion  as  was  possible  under  the  circumstances.  As  the 
floors  and  walls  could  not  then  be  disturbed,  I  was  obliged  to  depend  on  an  inspection 
of  such  parts  of  the  work  as  were  in  sight,  and  on  the  description  given  by  the  custo¬ 
dian  as  to  the  character  of  the  concealed  portions.  From  my  preliminary  report  I 
extract  the  following: 

“This  examination  indicates  a  very  much  less  unsafe  condition  then  current  re¬ 
ports  would  lead  one  to  expect.  So  far  as  exposed  to  view  the  workmanship  of  the 
plumbing  within  the  house  seems  to  be  reasonably  good.  The  arrangement  of  the 
various  soil-pipes  and  waste-pipes  is  such  as  is  usual  where  the  construction  has  been 
added  to  from  time  to  time  as  occasion  required  and  as  different  plumbers  suggested. 
Much  of  it  is  defective,  not  a  little  of  it  radically  so.  Considered  as  a  whole,  while 
they  are  free  from  some  defects  often  found  in  the  better  class  of  houses  in  our  cities, 
the  plumbing  appliances  of  the  Executive  Mansion  do  not  conform  to  what  are  now 
accepted  as  the  necessary  sanitary  requirements  of  a  safe  dwelling. 

“  Without  stopping  to  describe  in  this  brief  preliminary  report  the  details  of  the  work 
examined,  it  may  be  useful  to  say  that  not  one  of  the  soil-pipes  has  anything  like  proper 
ventilation,  and  that  more  than  one  of  them  has  no  attempt  at  ventilation  whatever; 
that  the  tank  from  which  the  upper  part  of  the  house  is  supplied  with  water  is  subject 
to  direct  contamination  from  the  main  soil-pipe  and  from  the  ventilator  of  an  inte¬ 
rior  water  closet;  that  one  of  the  most  important  water-closets  in  the  house  is  a  pan¬ 
closet;  that  two  of  the  water-closet  compartments,  one  of  which  contains  a  urinal, 
are  practically  without  ventilation. 

“  Your  instructions  confine  my  duty  at  this  time  to  the  recommendation  of  such  changes- 
as  are  of  prime  importance,  postponing  to  my  later  and  complete  report  on  the  general 
sanitary  condition  of  the  whole  establishment  all  details  which  may,  with  reasonable 
safety,  be  deferred  until  it  can  be  known  what  action  Congress  may  take  on  the  very 
important  question  of  providing  proper  quarters  for  the  residence  of  the  President  and 
his  family,  and  proper  offices  for  his  staff. 

“  I  therefore  disregard  for  the  present  nearly  everything  relating  to  the  exterior 
drainage,  as  of  the  area  by  which  the  house  is  surrounded,  and  much  of  the  interior 
work  which  should  receive  attention  when  any  radical  change  is  made. 

“  Concerning  alterations  which  it  is  now  essential  to  make,  some  of  the  recommen¬ 
dations  are  of  a  somewhat  makeshift  character,  the  intention  being  to  do  only  really 
essential  work,  and  to  avoid  for  the  present  as  much  expense  as  possible.  With  this 
view  and  under  these  limitations,  I  advise  that  the  following  work  be  done  as  soon  as 
possible.  I  describe  the  existing  conditions  which  require  immediate  modification  : 

“On  the  first  floor  of  the  liouse(  the  basement)  there  is  a  servants’  bath-room,  contain¬ 
ing  a  bath  and  water-closet  delivering  into  a  horizontal  6-inch  pipe  which  connects 
with  the  outer  drain  at  a  point  at  which  there  is  no  means  for  flushing,  and  which  has 
no  ventilation  of  any  sort.  The  soil-pipe  is  too  large  for  proper  cleansing  by  the  amount 
of  flow  which  it  receives. 

“The  sink  in  the  large  kitchen  adjoining  Inis  a  trap  of  such  size  as  to  constitute  a 
permanent  cesspool,  accumulating  organic  matters  and  retaining  them  until  decom¬ 
posed ;  the  same  is  true  of  the  sink  of  the  family  kitchen,  while  an  abandoned  grease- 
trap  on  the  course  of  the  outlet  of  this  sink  is  a  constant  source  of  accumulation. 

“  Off'  the  landing  of  the  service  staircase  between  the  second  and  third  floors  there  is 
an  unventilated  compartment  containing  a  water-closet  of  improper  construction  and 
in  bad  condition,  together  with  an  objectionable  urinal. 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


21 


“  On  the  third  floor,  adjoining  the  same  staircase,  and  over  the  water-closet  just  de¬ 
scribed,  there  is  a  water-closet  of  similar  construction  and  not  in  good  condition.  Its 
outlet  is  through  a  6-inch  soil-pipe,  delivering  at  right  angles  into  the  10-inch  pipe 
described  below,  and  having  no  upward  ventilation.  The  ventilation  of  this  apart¬ 
ment  is  through  open  blind  work  in  its  ceiling,  connecting  its  atmosphere  with  that  of 
the  room  above,  which  is  occupied  by  the  main  water-supply  tank. 

“Adjoining  and  also  opening  off  the  staircase  there  is  a  slop-sink,  trapped  by  a  com¬ 
mon  S  trap,  and  delivering  independently  into  the  10-inch  pipe.  Over  this  sink  there 
opens  an  apparently  abandoned  large  waste-pipe. 

“Adjoining  the  staircase  hall  is  the  family  bath-room,  which  contains  two  compart¬ 
ments,  separated  from  each  other  and  from  the  rest  of  the  room  by  partitions  not  ex¬ 
tending  to  the  ceiling.  The  first  of  these  contains  a  bath-tub  and  wash-bowl  and  a 
water-closet.  The  second  compartment  contains  a  bath-tub  only.  Both  bath-tubs 
and  the  wash-bowl  are  reported  to  deliver  by  a  2-inch  waste-pipe  into  the  10-inch  pipe 
referred  to  above.  The  water-closet  delivers  through  a  4-inch  soil-pipe,  which  is 
trapped  just  before  its  connection  with  the  10-inch  pipe.  This  4-inch  pipe  is  extended 
up  through  the  roof  with  the  intention  of  ventilating  it,  but  IJie  ventilation  has  never 
been  made  effective  by  the  admission  of  air  at  its  lower  end,  without  which  no  real 
ventilation  is  possible. 

“Adjoining  the  same  staircase  on  the  next  landing,  and  immediately  over  the  water- 
closet  and  slop-sink  of  the  third  floor,  is  a  room  containing  an  1,800-gallon  supply  tank, 
to  which  water  is  forced  by  a  pump  in  the  basement,  the  pressure  of  the  public  water 
supply  being  insufficient  to  keep  it  filled.  The  apartment  in  which  this  tank  stands 
is  practically  a  water-closet,  inasmuch  as  it  receives  through  an  opening  in  its  floor 
the  only  ventilation  of  the  closet  below.  In  addition  to  this  the  tank  is  connected 
by  a  large  overflow  pipe  with  a  10-inch  pipe  receiving  all  of  the  water-closets,  bath¬ 
tubs,  and  sinks  above  described,  except  the  sink  in  the  family  kitchen.  The  free  dis¬ 
charge  of  the  filth  thus  delivered  is  prevented  by  one  or  more  traps  in  the  course  of 
the  sewer  to  which  the  10-inch  pipe  leads.  The  pipe  itself  is  ventilated  in  no  adequate 
manner.  As  it  receives  the  water  of  the  entire  roof,  it  must  be  thoroughly  cleansed 
at  each  heavy  rainfall,  but  during  the  intervals  between  considerable  storms  it  must 
be  the  seat  of  very  considerable  foul  organic  decomposition.  The  end  of  the  overflow 
pipe  which  extends  into  the  tank  has  a  very  slight  water  seal,  which  is  of  some  service 
when  filled,  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  frequently  receives  wafer,  and  its  seal  must 
be  soon  broken  by  evaporation.  It  is  also  subject  to  being  emptied  by  ‘siplionage’ 
whenever  much  roof  water  is  delivered  to  the  large  pipe. 

“  In  the  southwest  room  of  the  house,  the  room  adjoining  that  in  which  the  President 
lies,  and  approached  only  from  that  room,  an  apartment  has  been  cut  off,  by  a  wooden 
partition,  which  contains  a  bath-tub  and  wash-bowl  and  a  water-closet  (a  pan  closet). 
This  water-closet  delivers  into  a  soil-pipe  which  runs  horizontally  for  some  distance 
and  then  passes  along  the  west  wall  of  the  house  to  the  basement  floor,  where  it  turns 
to  the  west  and  connects  with  the  sewer  outside  of  the  house.  This  pipe  stops  at  the 
water-closet,  having  no  upward  extension  or  ventilation  of  any  kind.* 

‘  ‘  The  wash-bowl  has  an  independent  trap,  and  it  and  the  bath-tub  deliver  into  an  inde¬ 
pendent  2-inch  waste,  which  enters  the  4-inch  soil-pipe  near  the  ground,  having  there 
another  trap  above  a  Y  branch  of  the  soil-pipe. 

“  Under  the  conservatory  is  a  water-closet  apartment  for  the  general  use  of  the  male 
attendants  and  officers  of  the  mansion.  Its  whole  condition  is  extremely  bad,  and, 
although  it  is  well  removed  from  the  main  house,  its  existence  in  its  present  state  in 
connection  with  any  government  establishment  should  not  be  permitted.” 

In  accordance  with  the  recommendations  then  made  the  following  work  has  been 
done : 

The  sink  in  the  large  kitchen,  the  three  water-closets,  the  two  bath-tubs,  the  wash¬ 
bowl,  the  urinal,  and  the  slop-hopper  connected  with  the  10-inch  soil-pipe  have  been 
severed  therefrom,  and  the  saddle-hubs  with  which  the  connection  was  made  have 
been  replaced  by  bolting  on  tight  caps,  so  that  all  foul  drainage  is  removed  from  this 
pipe,  and  it  now  serves  only  to  carry  the  roof  water  and  the  overflow  of  the  tank  to 
the  brick  sewer  which  passes  under  the  boiler  room  and  delivers  through  the  grounds 
to  the  south,  and  as  an  overflow  for  the  main  tank.  The  sewer  above  referred  to  was 
found  on  examination  to  be  in  much  less  satisfactory  condition  than  had  been  sup¬ 
posed.  Its  invert  was  laid  without  mortar,  or  the  mortar  has  become  washed  out  dur¬ 
ing  use.  What  was  much  more  serious  was  the  fact  that  the  branch  sewer  delivering 
into  it  from  the  north,  supposed  to  be  of  small  size  and  to  have  been  cutoff  close  to  it, 
was  of  the  full  size  of  the  main  sewer,  and  was  cut  off  some  distance  to  the  north,  so 
that  the  full  discharge  of  the  10-incli  pipe  set  back  into  this  branch,  which  had  no 
means  for  flushing,  and  there  formed  considerable  deposits  of  the  foulest  character. 
It  must  for  a  long  time  have  been  the  seat  of  a  decomposition  which  found  no  vent  ex - 

*  Subsequent  examination  showed  this  soil-pipe  not  to  run  so  directly  as  was  sup-* 
posed  to  the  outer  drain,  but  to  follow  a  circuitous  nearly  horizontal  course  around 
the  front  of  a  large  chimney,  an  arrangement  which  materially  added  to  its  defects. 


22 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


cept  through  its  imperfect  walls  and  through  the  10-inch  pipe  opening  into  the  tank 
and  in  the  attic  of  the  building.  This  branch  has  now  been  entirely  cut  off. 

The  6-inch  pipe  carrying  the  drainage  of  the  servants’  bath-room  to  the  6-incli  pipe 
sewer  outside  of  the  house  has  been  removed.  A  heavy  4-inch  pipe,  enameled  inside 
and  out,  has  been  carried  from  the  W  inch  pipe  sewer  under  the  north  area  at  a  point 
■where  there  is  a  strong  flow  from  the  fountain,  passing  through  the  foundation  wall 
and  up  beside  the  10-incli  pipe  above  referred  to,  and  through  the  roof  of  the  house, 
with  a  trap  and  fresh-air  inlet  at  its  lower  end  and  an  open  mouth  at  its  upper  end.  This 
soil-pipe  receives  the  servants’ water-closet  and  bath-tub,  the  sink  of  the  kitchen  ad¬ 
joining,  the  private  secretary’s  water-closet,  the  two  water-closets,  two  bath-tubs, 
and  one  wash-bowl  in  the  family  bath-room,  and  one  water-closet  adjoining  the  Pres¬ 
ident’s  apartments.  The  urinal  has  been  removed  from  the  private  secretary’s  water- 
closet.  apartment,  the  closet  being  arranged  to  serve  also  as  a  urinal.  The  slop-sink 
near  the  family  bath-room  has  been  removed,  as  was  recommended.  More  complete 
ventilation  has  been  given  to  the  different  apartments  in  which  plumbing  appliances 
are  retained. 

The  water-closet  in*the  southwest  room  has  been  replaced,  and  its  soil-pipe  lias 
been  carried  up  through  the  roof  for  ventilation,  and  by  the  most  direct  course  down 
to  the  drain  outside  the  house.  The  outlets  of  the  bath  and  the  wash-bowl  have  been 
reconstructed. 

The  outlet  of  the  sink  of  the  family  kitchen  has  been  reconstructed,  and  its' mason- 
work  grease-trap  has  been  removed.  Both  kitchen  sinks  have  been  provided  with 
.grease-traps  immediately  beneath  them  (Carson’s),  and  a  serious  source  of  annoyance 
has  thus  been  obviated. 

The  water-closets  introduced  (Dececo)  have  no  moving  parts  whatever.  They  are 
made  of  white  earthenware,  and  hold  water  to  a  depth  of  about  9  inches  (sealing 
depth  about  6  inches),  the  water  being  held  to  this  level  by  the  overflow  point  of  their 
siphon  outlet.  By  a  special  construction  of  the  branch  by  which  the  foot  of  the  outlet 
is  connected  with  the  soil-pipe,  the  rapid  delivery  into  the  closet  of  a  single  gallon  of 
water  causes  this  outlet  to  act  as  a  siphon,  and  to  withdraw  the  entire  contents  of  the 
bowl,  the  amount  delivered  being  2-i-  gallons.  The  flood  continues  after  all  foul  matters 
are  removed,  and  the  bowl  is  filled  with  clean  water.  Its  lowest  point  is  in  full  sight, 
so  that  any  retention  of  fceeal  matter  must  be  detected  at  once.  The  bowl  is  set  in 
white  tiles,  which  cover  the  floor,  sides,  and  back  of  the  space  under  the  seat.  There 
is  no  riser  in  front  of  the  bowl,  and  the  seat  is  a  well-finished  hard-wood  board,  with 
no  cover,  hinged  to  be  turned  aside  when  the  bowl  is  to  be  used  for  a  urinal  or  slop- 
hopper.  The  whole  apparatus  is  in  full  view  and  open  to  the  freest  ventilation,  thus 
obviating  the  foul  condition  which  it  is  the  office  of  the  carpentry  of  ordinary  water- 
closets  to  conceal.  Water  is  furnished  to  the  bowl  by  a  new  form  of  flushing  cistern 
(Bean’s),  which  has  a  rapid  discharge,  and  which,  being  once  set  in  operation,  continues 
to  flow  automatically  until  it  is  emptied,  when  it  sets  itself  for  the  next  discharge. 
During  the  filling  of  this  cistern,  a  valve,  moved  by  the  arm  of  the  ball-cock,  delivers 
the  small  flow  needed  to  refill  the  bowl  of  the  closet. 

The  plumbing  work  has  been  done  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner  by  Messrs.  Hay¬ 
ward  &  Hutchinson,  of  Washington,  under  the  constant  supervision  of  my  assistant. 
Mr.  Chapman. 

The  closet  under  the  conservatory  is  now  being  reconstructed. 

It  was  not  thought  worth  while  at  present  to  make  any  change  in  the  laundry,  nor, 
until  it  shall  be  determined  what  general  improvements  are  to  tie  made  in  the  Exec¬ 
utive  residence,  to  do  some  much-needed  work  at  the  east  end  of  the  building.  It  will 
be  easy  at  any  time  to  introduce  special  lavatory  arrangements  at  or  near  the  east  end 
of  the  upper  hall.  This  addition  to  the  drainage  appliances  is  not  an  immediate  ne¬ 
cessity,  but  should  it  be  determined  to  continue  the  present  use  of  the  existing  offices 
of  the  upper  floor,  such  a  lavatory  would  certainly  be  a  great  convenience. 

Pending  any  proposed  alterations,  the  work  now  completed  and  in  hand  will  prob¬ 
ably  be  regarded  as  sufficient;  but  if  the  Executive  Mansiou  is  to  be  retained  for  its 
present  use  and  substantially  as  it  is,  then  there  should  be  a  complete  overhauling  of 
all  the  sewers  under  the  outer  areas  and  under  the  interior  hallways.  Indeed,  if  the 
building  is  to  remain  for  any  use,  as  I  venture  to  hope  that  it  may  be,  I  recommend 
two  very  radical  changes  in  its  character: 


1st.  The  entire  abandonment  of  the  basement  of  the 


building  as 


living  rooms  for 


servants,  and  the  conversion  of  the  large  commodious  attic  into  dormitories.  This  attic 
affords  abundant  space  for  this  purpose,  and  needs  only  efficient  lighting  and  ven¬ 
tilation.  These  may  be  secured  by  the  construction  of  ample  dormer  windows  facing 
the  south,  which  would  be  entirely  concealed  from  view  by  the  parapet  balustrade. 
This  change  involves  the  construction  of  a  service  staircase  to  the  attic.  The  intro¬ 
duction  of  an  elevator  has  not  only  compelled  the  removal  of  the  old  staircase,  but  has 
become  the  only  means  of  access  to  the  private  secretary’s  water-closet. 

2d.  The  house  stands  near  the  summit  of  a  gently-sloping  hill,  of  which  the  soil  is 
of  an  extremely  porous  character.  It  is  beyond  question  that  from  the  leakage  of  the 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


23 


fountain  basin,  and  of  the  water-pipes,  drains,  and  sewers  by  which  the  house  is  sur¬ 
rounded,  the  soil  under  the  building  is  in  a  state  of  more  or  less  complete  saturation — 
a  saturation  not  entirely  due  to  cleau  water. 

Some  of  the  outer  drains,  and  especially  the  main  sewer  under  the  center  of  the 
building,  have  been  leaking  foul  matters  for  many  years.  This  heavy  saturated  soil 
bears  not  only  the  foundation  walls  of  the  building,  but  the  very  door  itself  of  the 
basement  story.  There  is  no  manner  of  subventilation  or  adequate  separation  between 
the  building  and  the  ground.  I  recommend  as  a  most  important  sanitary  measure 
that  the  whole  structure  be  supported  on  piers  and  groined  arches  of  the  best  con¬ 
struction,  to  secure  a  complete  separation  between  the  ground  and  the  building.  It 
would  be  an  advantage  if  this  construction  could  be  extended  to  include  the  areas  at 
the  north  side  and  at  the  ends  of  the  house. 

In  any  reconstruction  of  the  present  building,  with  a  view  to  its  use  as  a  residence 
or  for  offices,  an  entire  rearrangement  of  its  drainage  work  is  to  be  recommended ; 
the  location  and  arrangement  of  the  present  plumbing  appliances  not  being  in  ac¬ 
cordance  with  the  .  best  practice  of  modern  times,  only  the  best  that  under  the  cir¬ 
cumstances  was  easily  practicable. 

Aside  from  the  sanitary  state  of  the  Executive  Mansion  itself,  and  of  its  immediate 
drainage  work,  the  problem  is  complicated  by  external  conditions  of  which  the  very 
serious  character  has  long  been  recognized.  These  external  causes  of  insalubrity  af¬ 
fecting  not  only  this  building,  but  more  or  less  all  that  part  of  Washington  which  has 
the  same  exposure,  is  due  to  two  or  three  well-marked  defects. 

The  most  glaring  and  perhaps  the  most  important  is  the  condition  of  the  “Kidwell 
Flats,”  not  far  from  1,000  acres  of  the  silty  deposit  of  the  Potomac,  which  is  nearly  or 
quite  exposed  at  low-tide,  which  bears  in  parts  a  rich  aquatic  vegetation,  and  which 
is  a  lodging  ground  for  the  sewage  and  other  matters  with  which  the  water  of  the 
Potomac  is  fouled. 

The  second  is  the  low  and  saturated  condition  of  much  ot  the  city  lying  south  of 
Pennsylvania  avenue  and  the  lower  part  of  the  hill  on  which  the  Executive  Mansion 
stands.  The  flatter  part  of  this  land  was  formerly  a  low  swamp  which  has  been  very 
imperfectly  reclaimed  by  filling. 

The  third  defect  is  to  be  sought  in  the  fact  that  the  natural  drainage  of  the  higher 
parts  of  Washington,  which  formerly  flowed  as  clean  water  to  the  swamp  that  pene¬ 
trated  the  site  of  the  city  and  to  the  Potomac  River,  has,  with  the  growth  of  popula¬ 
tion,  become  converted  into  a  flow  of  foul  sewage,  more  or  less  diluted  according  to 
the  prevalence  or  absence  of  rain. 

It  is  impossible  to  consider  the  whole  problem  of  the  improvement  of  the  Executive 
residence  without  including  these  important  factors.  In  other  words,  it  becomes  nec¬ 
essary  to  consider  the  general  sanitary  condition  of  all  that  part  of  Washington  which 
is  exposed  to  the  same  influences. 

The  problem  presented  is  of  too  great  magnitude  to  be  fully  treated  in  a  special 
report  of  this  character.  In  view  of  the  careful  discussion  and  study  that  it  must 
receive  before  its  proper  solution  can  be  determined,  it  will  suffice  here  to  refer  very 
briefly  to  a  few  features  of  the  case  which  seem  to  have  been  inadequately  treated 
hitherto. 

Absolute  knowledge  is  wanting  to  justify  the  statement  that  the  condition  of  the 
Kid  well  Flats  is  the  source  of  any  malaria  that  may  affiict  those  living  subject  to  the 
prevailing  winds  which  blow  from  them.  The  weight  of  evidence  would,  perhaps, 
indicate  that  as  these  shoals  of  the  Potomac  are  covered  at  each  tide,  even  tlieir  high¬ 
est  portions  not  being  exposed  to  the  air  for  more  than  a  few  hours  at  a  time,  they 
are  not  chargeable,  under  any  generally  accepted  theory,  with  the  production  of 
intermittent  fever.  At  the  same  time  it  would  be  unwise  to  disregard  the  possible 
serious  influence  of  such  decomposition  as  may  there  take  place  during  the  short 
periods  of  exposure.  That  the  emanations  from  these  flats  are  foul  and  offensive  is 
notorious,  and  that  their  condition,  whether  absolutely  injurious  to  health  or  not, 
should  be  regarded  as  intolerable,  no  argument  is  needed  to  prove. 

The  accepted  theories  as  to  the  causation  of  intermittent  fevers  (malaria)  point  to 
conditions  such  as  those  of  the  low  shores  of  the  Potomac,  and  of  those  areas  where 
the  original  swamp  has  been  filled  in  only  to  a  sufficient  depth  to  afford  safe  building 
ground,  much  more  directly  than  to  that  of  any  ground  lying  materially  below  the 
level  of  high  water.  The  conditions  which  are  supposed  to  be  most  favorable  to  the 
production  of  malaria  are  to  be  sought  in  connection  with  a  constant  or  nearly  con¬ 
stant  saturation  of  the  soil  at  a  depth  to  which  atmospheric  air  penetrates  and  circu¬ 
lates,  and  which  feels  a  certain  influence  of  the  sun’s  heat.  The  depth  of  this  point 
below  the  surface,  or,  in  other  words,  the  amount  of  filling  necessary  for  a  protection 
against  these  conditions,  most  depend  upon  the  character  of  the  filling,  upon  the  move¬ 
ment  of  the  tides,  upon  the  facility  of  the  lateral  flow  of  ground  water,  and  upon  the 
intensity  of  the  sun’s  heat.  It  would  be  impossible  to  define  these  conditions  in  any 
given  case,  even  were  it  possible  to  say  that  the  theories  on  the  subject  are  reliable. 
Under  the  circumstances,  it  is  most  prudent  to  be  guided  by  the  general  belief  of  those 


24 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


who  have  studied  what  are  regarded  as  malarious  influences,  and  to  obviate  those 
influences  on  suspicion.  Such  a  course  would  indicate  the  abatement  of  the  Kidwell 
Flats,  and  still  more  strongly  the  abatement  of  the  present  saturated  condition  which 
marks  much  of  the  lower  part  of  the  city  of  Washington,  especially  in  the  district  now 
under  consideration. 

While  we  are  substantially  ignorant  on  the  subject  of  malaria,  A\e  are  not  more  posi¬ 
tive  as  to  the  influence  of  organic  filth  as  an  added  factor  in  such  cases  as  we  are  con¬ 
sidering.  Here  also  we  can  do  little  more  than  be  guided  by  our  suspicions,  and  to 
accept  as  a  safe  guide  the  instinct  which  leads  us  to  avoid  all  such  contamination. 
In  other  words,  the  prudent  course  would  he  to  pay  little  attention  to  theories,  and  to 
accept  as  a  common-sense  guide  of  action  the  rule  that  all  land  in  or  near  a  town 
should  he  kept  clean  and  dry  ;  that  it  should  be  dried  to  such  a  depth  as  to  prevent 
noticeably  damp  exhalations  from  it;  and  that  ils  cleanliness  should  be  absolute.  If 
we  adopt  this  standard  as  to  what  should  be  done  in  Washington,  we  shall  see  that 
something  very  much  more  radical  is  necessary  than  has  yet  been  contemplated. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  if  the  Potomac  Flats  were  filled  to  the  height  of  the  lower 
parts  of  Washington  quite  out  to  the  bulkhead  line  proposed  by  the  Board  of  Survey 
of  1872,  it  would  afford  valuable  building  ground  or  pleasure  ground,  and  would  re¬ 
move  a  palpable  nuisance  of  the  most  marked  character.  On  the  other  hand,  it  would 
reproduce  over  a  large  area  which  is  now  covered  constantly  or  mainly  by  the  water 
of  the  Potomac  the  defective  sanitary  conditions  which  prevail  throughout  the  old 
swamp  area  of  the  present  city,  and  it  would  be  open  to  the  very  serious  objection 
that  whereas  the  present  lower  parts  of  the  city  have  a  sort  of  feeble  drainage  to  tide 
level,  this  means  of  exit  would  be  much  impeded  by  the  removal  of  the  shore  line, 
making  the  portions  of  the  city  now  occupied  less  salubrious  than  they  now  are. 
Furthermore,  the  difficulty  which  is  now  experienced  in  getting  the  foul  sewage  out 
of  the  city  to  the  present  river  shore  over  the  very  flat  grades  existing  would  be  in¬ 
creased  by  the  great  further  extension  of  the  tide-locked  channels,  so  that  in  addition 
to  an  extension  and  an  intensifying  of  the  malarious  area,  there  would  be  a  great  ex¬ 
tension  and  intensifying  of  the  filth-bearing  area. 

Having  a  high  regard  for  the  opinions  of  the  distinguished  engineers  who  have  con¬ 
curred  in  recommending  the  reclamation  of  the  fiats  by  filling,  I  have  tried  to  recon¬ 
cile  their  recommendations  with  what  seemed  to  be  the  unmistakable  teachings  of 
sanitary  experience.  I  firmly  believe  that  their  project  would  he,  so  far  as  the  public 
health  is  concerned,  a  failure,  and  that  the  condition  of  Washington  after  the  im¬ 
provement  would  be  worse  than  it  is  now. 

The  same  consideration  of  the  subject  has  led  to  the  conviction  that  the  desired  re¬ 
sult  is  to  be  attained  only  by  the  adoption  of  a  diametrically  opposite  method  of  treat¬ 
ment,  the  end  sought  in  both  cases  being  the  same,  the  drying  and  cleansing  of  the 
soil. 

A  reference  to  the  practice  of  Holland  in  the  reclamation  of  low  or  submerged  lands, 
whether  for  cultivation  or  for  residence,  indicates  the  process  which  seems  best  suited 
to  meet  the  conditions  of  the  case  in  hand.  But  a  much  more  pertinent  reference,  as 
a  matter  of  argument,  would  be  to  that  great  area  of  the  Surrey  side  of  London,  which 
has  been  built  on  the  Thames  marshes  and  upon  flats  formerly  invaded  by  the  river  at 
every  tide,  where,  by  a  similar  process  of  embankment,  the  river  floods  have  been  ex¬ 
cluded,  and  where  the  drainage  of  the  whole  vast  area  is  constantly  lifted  by  a  series 
of  steam  pumps  to  a  height  of  nearly  50  feet. 

So  long  as  the  pumping  facilities  were  sufficient  to  keep  down  the  floods  all  this  part 
of  London  was  practically  high  and  dry.  For  a  town  sewered  on  the  system  there 
adopted,  its  soil  was  also  clean. 

By  the  adoption  of  a  similar  process  in  Washington,  such  land  as  may  be  reclaimed 
from  the  river  and  the  present  lower  portions  of  the  city  may  be  brought  to  a  perfectly 
satisfactory  state  of  drainage.  This  condition  cannot  be  attained  by  any  process  de¬ 
pending  on  the  discharge  of  sewerage  and  drainage  at  the  natural  ^evel  of  the  Potomac 
River.  * 


If  the  rivers  were  confined  within  pixrper  channels  by  suitable  bulkheads  or  embank¬ 
ments,  and  if  the  lands  behind  these  embankments  were  thoroughly  drained  to  a  suffi¬ 
cient  depth,  in  connection  with  a  sufficient  subsoil  drainage  of  the  lower  parts  of  the 
city,  and  were  an  independent  house  sewerage  provided  for  the  lower  levels,  the  whole 
system  being  carried  out  in  connection  with  adequate  pumping  arrangements,  the 
removal  of  the  sanitary  evils  of  Washington,  so  far  as  filth  and  soil  saturation  are  con¬ 
cerned,  would  become  simple  and  secure. 

Including  the  capitalization  of  the  cost  of  pumping,  the  cost  of  this  method  of  im¬ 
provement  would  be  far  less  than  that  of  the  other  method  proposed. 

So  far  as  the  ultimate  disposal  of  the  foul  sewage  of  the  city  is  concerned  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  the  constant  volume  of  flow  in  the  Potomac  would,  at  least  for  a 
long  time  to  come,  solve  the  problem  in  the  most  satisfactory  manner,  especially  if  the 
foul  matters  reaching  the  sewers  from  the  houses  were  delivered  in  a  fresh  or  unde- 
coinposed  state  directly  into  the  stream. 


HARBOR  OF  WASHINGTON. 


25 


All  surface  flow  and  the  intercepted  sewage  of  the  higher  portions  of  the  city  being 
carried  across  the  reclaimed  flats  by  elevated  channels,  the  drainage  water  and  low- 
level  sewage  would  not  he  serious  in  amount.  Without  requiring  any  considerable 
pumping  lift,  there  would  be  secured  the  same  improvement  of  drainage  that  would 
result  from  a  raising  of  the  level  of  the  whole  lower  part  of  the  city  (5  or  8  feet  above 
its  present  grade.  The  invasion  of  the  floods  of  the  Potomac  would  be  prevented,  and 
Washington  would  become  practically  a  high-lying,  dry  town,  with  dry  and  wholesome 
land  quite  up  to  the  deep  channels  of  the  rivers  on  both  sides. 

Whatever  improvement  may  be  made  in  the  interior  and  exterior  drainage  of  the 
Executive  Mansion,  its  sanitary  condition  cannot  become  what  it  should  be  until  the 
above-described  improvement  of  its  surroundings,  or  the  equivalent  of  this  improve¬ 
ment,  is  secured. 

The  works  indicated  being  executed  in  their  entirety,  as  has  been  suggested,  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe  that  it  would  become  an  absolutely  healthy  residence,  and 
that  Washington  would  become  an  absolutely  healthy  city. 

GEO.  E.  WARING,  Jr. 

Col.  A.  F.  Rockwell, 

U.  S.  Army,  in  charge  of  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds. 

(3.  Ex.  126 - 3 


r 


